PEK → NRT → SEA Hainan Airlines connecting to Japan Airlines My parents don't have Japanese visas but do have US tourist visas. Can the luggage be checked through to Seattle? If not, what's the best way to handle this? Thanks for the guidance, experts.
First, ask Hainan Airlines at check-in whether they can through-check the baggage to SEA. If not, you'd have to enter the country, collect it, and re-check it—but without a Japanese visa you can't enter, so you basically have to confirm based on the assumption that through-checking is possible.
I think the key issue isn't whether the bags can be through-checked, but whether Narita actually counts as requiring entry. Even if the two airlines have an interline agreement, with non-through tickets and separate ticket numbers, the counter may still refuse to through-check the bags; and transferring internationally at Narita sometimes involves different terminals and a second security screening. It's best to get these points confirmed in writing by the ticketing agent or Hainan Airlines customer service, rather than relying only on forum experience—policies change at any time, and agreements between airlines vary.
What you should focus on most is the transfer desk and terminal connections at Narita. First, confirm whether JAL handles non-through-checked transfers at Narita. Once that's clear, it'll be easier to assess the baggage and missed-connection risks.
Even within the same alliance, non-through tickets often can't be checked through. This is especially true with Hainan Airlines and Japan Airlines, which belong to different systems, and you'll also need to change terminals at Narita. It's best to plan on not being able to through-check your bags. The elderly passenger doesn't have a Japanese visa, so if the first leg is delayed and you miss the connection, being stranded at Narita would be a problem. Be sure to allow plenty of connection time.