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I am flying from from BOM-IAH with a baggage allowance of 2 bags of 23kg each for check-in luggage. On the return, I booked a flight from AMD-BOM on Air India which only allows for 1 bag with 25 KG in check-in baggage. So, I booked tickets for 2 persons, to be able to have check in 2 bags, one for each passenger.

After checking in both passengers and bags, if the other passenger does not board the flight, would I be allowed to take his bag for him? Would they remove the baggage from flight when they realize that the other passanger has not boarded?

I just want to avoid the return fare for the second traveller. If this will not allow, then I have to book return flight for that passenger.

The flight ticket is 1400 Rs, and extra baggage is 8000 Rs, so extra baggage is not a feasible option :).

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  • travel.stackexchange.com/q/65393/4188 and travel.stackexchange.com/a/61950/4188 are both relevant.
    – user4188
    Jul 4, 2017 at 22:30
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    No. That's why they scan your boarding pass when you board: so they know who is actually on the plane. if you do not board, they remove your luggage. It's a security hazard. Google what happened to Air India Flight 182 for examples.
    – Roddy of the Frozen Peas
    Jul 5, 2017 at 2:12
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    Couldn't you have just paid for an extra bag, instead of buying another seat? That would surely be cheaper as well.
    – PhilippNagel
    Jul 30, 2020 at 1:14
  • Is the second ticket on your name?
    – kiradotee
    Jul 30, 2020 at 9:13
  • yes, GoAir started same service, but now charging 2500 INR, but still its cheap :) compare to paying 1000+USD till AMD, and 600 USD to DEL or BOM and get GoAir from there with 2500 INR (35 USD) till AMD.
    – Lafda
    Jul 30, 2020 at 20:41

1 Answer 1

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Your extra bag, unfortunately, will not travel as the second passenger will never be boarded.

This is an almost universal security practice across all airlines and airports; except for fringe situations like charter aircraft, pleasure flights and some domestic airlines - none of which applies to you.

Now, how you can avoid this is if you have one flight from IAH - BOM return; because then the most significant carrier rule applies. This basically means that the baggage rules that apply for the majority of your journey, will apply throughout the journey - across all carriers, from the time of check-in until you collect your bags.

There are (as always with these things) a few caveats - mainly, who is the marketing carrier vs. the operating carrier. Therefore, it is best to check with your airline - as you may be entitled to additional considerations based on your itinerary.

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  • It's a very real possibility but I am not sure it is as universal as people think it is.
    – Relaxed
    Jul 5, 2017 at 7:02
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    The only exception I have seen for unaccompanied luggage is if the luggage was left behind, it is then loaded onto the next flight. However, the passenger has to travel already. All the flights I have traveled on have this rule enforced.
    – Burhan Khalid
    Jul 5, 2017 at 7:19
  • "almost universal": a major exception is US domestic flights don't do this, they are happy for unaccompanied bags to travel. Obviously an irrelevant fact to the question though. :-)
    – Calchas
    Jul 5, 2017 at 7:36
  • From the prior question Will Emirates accept one 25kg bag instead of two 23kg bags?, "I have an Emirates flight from Houston, Texas to Mumbai, India. I booked an Air India flight from Mumbai for the domestic portion.". That sounds more like two separate bookings.
    – Patricia Shanahan
    Jul 5, 2017 at 10:38
  • @BurhanKhalid It's an odd way to back up your statement that doesn't really convince me. You (and I) have used a very biased subset of airlines and airports, that's not a very useful way to approach this question. How would you even know whether the rule is systematically enforced on a flight you happen to be traveling on?
    – Relaxed
    Jul 5, 2017 at 17:48

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