ajhun9

Hi - could anyone offer advice on how much time I should allot for check in etc before a flight from MEL to the U.S.? The flight is at 915am and the airport's website says I should get there 3 hours early. I am in business class if that makes a difference. Thanks!

JessicaTam

An hour an a half should be fine. At that time of the day traffic to the airport can be horrendous, so I would allow extra time to allow for that.

kcupp95

Check the check in times from your airline.

Most airlines close check 60-90 minutes before departure.

I would be aiming to get there by 7 at the absolute latest. Gives you plenty of time to check in, go through security and immigration, grab some breaky and find your gate without having to rush.

When going through immigration make sure you have your boarding pass, passport and outbound immigration card ready to hand to the officer to make it quicker.

When you go through security have your liquids/aersols/gels in a plastic bag at the top of your carry on to make removal quicker and try to avoid metal belts, shoes and other articles of clothing like jackets or scarves that they'll ask you to remove.

How are you planning to get to the airport?

number_6

Also currently there are rotating strikes by DIBP employees which can cause significant delays if your departure is on a strike day. MEL is targeted for Aug 3 for example. The airline ultimately determines your check-in time, not the airport, so check with the airline you are flying. UA leaves MEL at 9:15am and requires bag checkin by 60 min before departure and boarding ends 30 min before. No difference by class for UA. Sadly the UA lounge is rather dire compared to QF at MEL so I can understand why you don't want to get there too early, also this UA flight has a poor on-time record -- but that doesn't help with check-in times, they are usually enforced even when the departure is delayed.

Mwenenzi

The MEL UA lounge closed some months ago. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...12-2015-a.html

Efrem

Based on your UA status, you ought to be able to use NZ's Koru Lounge. As best I recall from a plane change at MEL a few years back, it was nicer anyhow - though perhaps a bit small depending on how many flights are about to leave.

AustralianPoochie

Look out for egate though. Supposedly started/starting at Australian immigration departure points mid this year.
Blurb is that you don't have to face an Australian immigration officer, for the processing part, its similar to SmartGate. An DIBP officer or Border Force officer just collects your OPC from you.
Though, don't put your passport away into storage after immigration, as there is one more layer of security check, at the departure gate.
Seen it in SYD when I was going to NZ, they practically cordon off the specific departure gate that flight uses to the US and double check passengers going to the gate.

kcupp95

It doesn't happen with all flights though.

My flight from Auckland to LA had it but my flight from Syd to SFO didn't.

AustralianPoochie

Ah. Ok, Kcupp95. Noted.
Being off topic, yes, drives the other forum mad, ...
Strange that AKLint does not have full body scanners, and yet all Aust int airports have it.
At SYDint I was (as mentioned) I was on my way to NZ, and there was a flight off to the US, they even moved those mobile bollard poles things, so no one could sneak into the gate area, they even had that mobile cloth screener you see in hospitals, so what they were checking for some people, what I don't know, but suffice to say, maybe not all airports have it, but SYD were strict about double checkings.
Seemed more one(r)ous than the cursory look at my passport when I boarded the flight to NZ.
Will be passing MELint soon, Oct long weekend to WLG, so will keep an eye out when I go through.
My flight leaves at 8.45am, will waltz around the MELint secure zone to sticky beak.

number_6

Security procedures will vary with the specific threat status, so extent and duration of security checks can change. Airlines don't hold flights if you take too long through security, so another reason to allow extra time if you really need to make a specific flight. Cutting it close means sometimes you don't fly

Mordor2112

I was about to open a new thread but since this is basically the same question:

So, 2 hours earlier is OK for the 9:15 am MEL-LAX with UA ?

I'll be flying on a Thursday. What's the best way to get to the Airport at those hours ?

Mwenenzi

That time of the morning can be busy on the Tulla tollway road & the airport.
The Tulla can have slow moving traffic several km going into the aiport.
City to airport there are few transport options:- taxi or https://www.skybus.com.au/ or private hire car(limo)

number_6

UA checkin cutoff time is 60 minutes, so that is a hard stop. 9 am is a peak departure time at MEL with several chinese flights departing, which causes security and emigration lines to be unusually long (much shorter an hour earlier) ... normally not a problem, but it is possible to take over an hour and UA recommends 3 hours. Whether that is ever enforced (as in flight leaving without you if you are stuck in security) is a question for UA. In general 2 hours is plenty for flights that I've taken (but they were earlier than 9 am and the queues were definitely longer later).

Mordor2112

Okay, I just checked the SkyBus site. Thanks for the tip.