General Information
General Conditions of Acceptance
- All luggage is subject to search.
- Northwest reserves the right to refuse luggage for the following reasons:
- Luggage size, weight, character, or condition unsuitable for transportation on the particular aircraft.
- Luggage cannot be accommodated without harming or inconveniencing other passengers.
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Luggage Check-in Time Limits
Domestic Flights: You are required to check luggage at least 30 minutes prior to departure with the following exceptions:
|
Airport |
Luggage Cut-off Time |
Atlanta / Denver / Los Angeles / Newark / Tampa /
Washington D.C. - Dulles |
45 minutes prior to departure |
|
Las Vegas |
60 minutes prior to departure |
International Flights: For all flights with an international destination or origin, you are required to check luggage at least 60 minutes prior to departure.
Customers who fail to check luggage by the applicable luggage acceptance times, risk having their luggage, and themselves, rerouted on the next available departure. Northwest retains the right, at its sole discretion, to allow check-in after these cut-off times when its representatives deem circumstances warrant. If checked luggage is accepted after above times, Northwest will not be liable for any expenses incurred as a result of luggage not being loaded on the same flight as the passenger. At minimum, Northwest will not assume the expense of delivering luggage to customers who check-in late or voluntarily separate from their luggage (see Delayed or Damaged Luggage for details).
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Processing of Checked Luggage
When you check your luggage, a Northwest agent will place a luggage tag on each piece of luggage indicating your name, flight number(s), and all cities on your ticketed itinerary.
- Tip: If you are deviating from your ticketed itinerary, please advise the Northwest agent before checking your luggage.
You will be given a numbered claim ticket for each piece of checked luggage. The claim ticket serves as proof of your checked luggage. It is important that you keep the claim tickets(s) until you have received all of your checked luggage at the conclusion of your trip.
- Tip: Please ensure that the number of claim tickets you were given corresponds to the number of bags you checked.
From the ticket counter, your luggage is placed on a series of conveyor belts. The conveyor belts transport luggage to a location where bags are loaded into carts according to flight number and destination. In large airports, automated scanners read the code on the luggage tag and direct the item to the correct loading area. Your luggage will go through a series of conveyor belts, chutes, and other mechanisms before reaching the point where it is loaded into a cart and taken to the aircraft.
- Tip: Please remove any straps, hangers, and protruding objects from your luggage before checking it. These can get caught in the conveyor system and cause damage to your luggage. Items that are bulging or are not sufficiently constructed to support the weight inside may split during the trip through the luggage belt system.
The luggage is then loaded in the cargo compartment of the aircraft, usually using another conveyor belt. Due to the amount of space in the compartment, items may have to be placed flat and stacked on top of each other. Although the luggage compartments are secured with nets or straps, items can shift during flight due to the plane's angle during take-off.
- Tip: Since this is the standard way luggage is transported, breakage or damage to fragile items may be unavoidable. Do not pack fragile items inside your checked luggage.
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Security Procedures
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screens all checked luggage. As part of the TSA screening, locks may be removed or damaged in transit.
Although we recommend that you do not lock your luggage, locks are now available at retail outlets that allow your luggage to be screened without breaking the lock or damaging your bag. Look for locks that use a "TSA-recognized locking mechanism." Only locks that use a TSA-recognized locking mechanism are recommended for locking your luggage. For more information, please visit the TSA website at www.tsa.gov.
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