Can a friend (fellow passenger) take my baggage on a connecting flight that I am unable to board?

Question

I've booked a ticket to fly from India to Kelowna, BC, Canada. My roommate and I are flying together. I have a stopover in Vancouver and due to some emergency I won't be able to catch the Kelowna flight. My roommate is going to be in the flight though. Is there any way that my baggage goes along with my roommate, as those are heavy and I won't be able to carry them with me? Due to some urgent reason, I have to be in Toronto on the same day, so I'm boarding another flight from Vancouver to Toronto.

Answer 1

You are going to have to be careful here - firstly, you must talk to your airline, and not simply abandon the ticket for the last leg, as doing so may result in any return flights being cancelled.

Secondly, only the airline can comment on transferring your luggage to fly under your friend's ownership, unless they check that luggage in as their own from the beginning. Airlines are very hot on not allowing luggage to fly separately to its owner, especially if that separation occurs because of an action or inaction of the owner.

Answer 2

Here is how the airline rules said that should be handled:

1. Split the reservation into two separate ones.
2. Execute a change on your reservation that removes the leg you won't take. This will incur a change fee (yes, you need to pay extra for not taking a flight you already have paid for). If you don't do that, they will cancel any return flight (google "Hidden City Ticketing" for more info).
3. Check all your luggage in on your roommate's reservation. If that exceeds his/her allowance you need to pay extra for the excess luggage. You can't transfer your baggage allowance to your roommate.

As you can see, airline rules are written primarily to optimize revenue for the airline, i.e. squeeze as much money out of you as they can. If this is a real emergency, you can try to contact them and explain your situation. The agents have a fair amount of leeway to waive fees and charges, but it's very unpredictable.

DO NOT DO THE FOLLOWING: Check your bag all the way through to Kelowna and not board in Vancouver. There is a bag with your name on the flight and if you don't show up, they have to unload it from the plane, which is expensive and incurs a delay for the whole flight.