serfty

Was researching another question came across changes to the SYD airport web site.

New map: SYD T1 Departures

The implication is the renovations are nearly completed.

It's gunna be a Bl**dy long walk from Customs and Security for those passengers departing from pier C.

cavemanzk

That's one long of a walk from Air New Zealands checkin (Zone J) to say gate 60.

Are Air NZ going to move zones?

The inter pier walk away looked finish but not open last Wednesday.

Kiwi Flyer

How much is QF paying SYD to do this?

cavemanzk

I would say more than a A380 is worth. It seems so stupid to close pier C customs, NZ/EK/SQ all use the last 3 check-in islands.

Seems to be just how the train station is at the Qantas end, yet the line runs past the terminal.

Or how Jetconnect 733s get to use the main runway while NZ 767s have to use the short runway.

I vote for NZ to take over the Domestic Express Terminal atleast it would be close to the correct runway

kamchatsky

Great way for *A passengers to lose weight, including myself for NZ SYD-WLG during Xmas. Then VS SYD-HKG in Jan.

AS for my better half, she would be complaining already by the time we get to customs from Checkin J.

Kiwi Flyer

Exactly. I didn't think I'd get to see the day when an airport comes up with a more brain-dead passenger-unfriendly layout than AKL, but SYD has indeed done so.

The Air NZ pax arriving at airport by train has to walk the complete length of check in area to reach check in desks. Once check in complete, walk back almost the complete length to get to immigration. Long queues there & at security. Then through the middle of a shop and half-way out the pier before being able to double back, past several more shops, along a corridor, through the middle of another shop, past some more shops to finally reach the gate/lounge. By this time they'll feel like they've just about walked to NZ having traversed most of the terminal not once but 3 times.

serfty

I posted this on AFF:

anat0l

Meh. QF/SYD/the government did it before to kill of what remained of AN.

AKL is ridiculous re: gates 15 and 16. You have to feel just a bit for EK. Both SYD and AKL are also pretty dumb in that the traversing from start of airside to the far pier are through a lifeless corridor; SYD has travelators but AKL doesn't. Still, who wants to walk all that way through a grey-white square pipe?

Also, at least in SYD once you get to pier C, there's stuff there to be had. Like airline lounges. And a couple of shops (apart from the duty free shop). And a bit of character inside the terminal - more than can be said about piers A/B. In AKL the far pier has absolutely nothing except for nice wood finishing.


And if SYD and AKL weren't enough, some people might take you to the task on FRA.


My main gripes with SYD are:

• Soul-less, character deprived airport. OK, except for BNE, WLG and maybe ZQN, every AU/NZ international airport lacks international-standard character and/or identity. (Well, if identity can include anything, I guess you can go by SYD's horrendous customs queues... )
• The curfew. Idiotic idea for AU's premier gateway, but cry babies need their nap time...

Kiwi Flyer

AKL does have travelators on B pier, although they only cover a modest portion of the walk. While the distance is far at least you aren't doubling back and back again on yourself - there is a long straight-line distance between EK check in and the B pier gates.

SYD doesn't have that excuse.
FRA has airtrain & the tunnel. It is big and confusing yes, but there aren't long distances to walk.

anat0l

Fair enough.

Not that I was defending SYD.

I forgot to add another dot point against SYD: exorbitant fees.

cavemanzk

The walk from Zone J to pier C is going to add alot more than 400meters to the walk.

My rough guess from Zone J to Gate 60 is going to be 2km.

serfty

Advice on AFF that the B0 duty free zero is open plan.

This can be walked though, so a short cut could come out near B11, saving approx 100 metres.

http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/SACL...p_17-09-09.pdf

kamchatsky

Maybe they need to implement those transit trains in HKG for those going to Pier C ..... Nah, Macquarie will then charge $20AUD per ride, or just charge extra $20 per air ticket.

cavemanzk

It already costs $15 from Central to the Airport

kamchatsky

I mean train from customs to Pier C ..... like the ones inside HKG airport. Hehe