JerseySlime

In April of 2014, as part of a UA award itinerary, I will be flying AKL-MEL on NZ123, connecting to UA840 MEL-SYD, stopping in SYD for 4 days. The original connection time was 1 hour. Now my itinerary has been changed to reduce my connection time to 50 minutes. Is this time sufficient to make the connection assuming everything is on time? How prompt does NZ123 tend to be? Will I clear customs in MEL or in SYD? I know there are QF and VA flights all the time between MEL and SYD, but what other *A alternatives exist if I miss UA840?

serfty

Firstly - I am not aware of any other *A flights from MEL to SYD. However, since on the one booking, if in the remote chance you miss UA840, you would likely be put on VA or QF to SYD same day.

In normal circumstances, you would clear customs/immigration in SYD. At MEL, you simply go through transit security(LAG rules apply). If on time, 50 minutes should be plenty, although you may not have a real opportunity to visit any lounge at MEL.

cavemanzk

Or if UA really wants to play by the book of rebooking you on *A, it would be MEL-AKL-SYD

Buzz53

UA840 is the United flight that goes MEL-SYD-LAX, so this is an international-to-international transfer. No need to clear immigation or customs. Hopefully NZ will issue a boarding pass in AKL.
According to Seat Guru, in April 2014 UA840 departs 11:20 and NZ123 arrives 10:20.
If you miss the connection you may have a day to enjoy Melbourne!

JerseySlime

Two things:

1. I'm just going to SYD on UA840. Spending 4 days in SYD. I'll be on UA840 SYD-LAX 4 days later. Because this is a UA award, I guess they wanted me on UA metal whenever possible, so NZ123 to UA840 was what was offered.

2. The UA website has updated NZ123 as leaving AKL and arriving MEL 10 minutes later at 10:30.

So, as much as I like MEL and miss the former Airport Hilton, I do want to get to SYD that same day.

Jorgen

As far as I know there's no such rule, especially not in these circumstances. UA has, for instance, rebooked me on Frontier from DEN to SFO (I think all their own flights that evening were full). UA agents at MEL should be quite accustomed to rebooking people on QF, because UA's 747s seem to break down every second week...

It's an airside to airside transfer at the same (not especially large) terminal so 50 minutes should be plenty. On the offchance it's not, they'll simply rebook you on QF or VA, probably QF. With at least four flights per hour, and the domestic terminal being just a short walk away, and 50 minutes being plenty of time if there's no significant delay, you should waste absolutely zero brain cells worrying about this connection. Enjoy Sydney!

JerseySlime

I've flown into and out of T2 a number of times, just never transited through MEL. Now, if I miss my connection to UA840, which will be a 772 by next April, and I'm put on one of the domestic QF 763's, where and how will I clear immigration and customs? I'd be arriving into the SYD Domestic Terminal. Or, would it be because I missed my connection in MEL, I'd have to go through I and C in MEL, then be rebooked?

serfty

I'd expect initially you'd go though International Transit security to the departures level and try to make it to the gate for UA840.

If that fails then it's off to the NZ lounge for assistance/rebooking.

If booked on a Domestic, then it would indeed involve an escort back to the arrivals level for C&I.

It could just as easily be on VA from T3 rather than QF (and possibly more likely given the VA/NZ tieup).