Thursday, Feb. 25, 1999 | 10:49 a.m.
A Las Vegas Strip resort has teamed with a McCarran Airport airline to provide the first hotel-to-plane baggage check-in service in the country.
The Imperial Palace hotel-casino and Reno Air have collaborated with American Baggage Co. Inc. to provide the check-in service, which they say will keep guests in the hotel longer and minimize airport waits.
The service, approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, costs each passenger $4 and is available daily from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Imperial Palace-Reno Air partnership steals some thunder from Las Vegas-based National Airlines, which plans to introduce similar service from Harrah's and the Rio hotel-casino when the airline begins flying in April.
National billed the service as something that would set it apart from competitors; Imperial Palace and Reno Air began their program in January and began marketing it this month.
Larry Houck, a spokesman for the Imperial Palace, said a replica of an airport baggage counter has been set up in the tour lobby of the hotel. Passengers wanting to send bags through have to check in at least two hours prior to flight time and must call a hotel extension to prearrange a time.
Since customary security regulations prevail, persons traveling must appear for check-in with their own bags and produce identification. Passengers receive a boarding pass and a seat assignment during check-in.
Once check-in is completed, American Baggage moves suitcases to the airport and onto the right planes.
Houck said Reno Air is the only carrier offering the service through the hotel, but the resort is investigating adding other air carriers in the future.
Nancy Raymond, a spokeswoman for the Reno-based airline, said her company has no plans to negotiate similar check-in operations at other hotels. She said she did not know if American Airlines, the company planning to buy Reno Air, would continue the partnership with Imperial Palace once the transaction is complete.
Raymond said Reno Air would continue to operate under that name for at least 12 to 18 more months.
"Las Vegas is a perfect place to offer hotel-airport baggage check-in, since many hotels have a noon check-out for rooms," Houck said. "Las Vegas tourists who want to maximize their stay often take evening flights home, so scheduling is ideal."
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