Kiwi Flyer

Since flying QR you will need to check in with them not QF. I'm assuming you aren't arriving at SYD on another flight same day on the same ticket - if that is the case your first airline will hopefully check you in gor the QR flight too. Their check in should open 3-4 hours before departure.

As a F pax flying OW you can use the QF F lounge once airside.

leisureflier

Thank you Kiwi Flyer!
Maybe I'll arrive with QF in the morning (domestic), but on another ticket. So I don't know if they do throug-check the luggage.
If there is no through-check, is there a luggage storage at SYD I could use, so with online CI and BP I could spend my time in lounge until I need to re-check in luggage?
Merry x-mas!

Mwenenzi

Been to Australia and/or SYD before?

For international departures have

• check in / bag drop. Can be a document check
• security. At MEL a boarding pass check to get access to security. Expect other AU airports the same
• AU govt emigration controls. Swipe passport in kiosk, stand while machine compares passport vs photo it takes of you. Then a gate opens to let you air-side. Or manual emigration control with a border force officer.

In AU international arrivals and departures are physically separate. No access to departure lounges from arrivals.Those doing I (arrivals) to I (departures) air-side transit need to go through a security check.

The system is not designed to freely enter and leave air-side (=F lounge) after border processing.
Going back through immigration (arrival) to bag drop land side would get some questions. Not the way the AU border system works.

QF only interline on separate PNR(ticket)

• QF to QF
• QF to EK
• If one flight is an award. Unclear if needs to be a QF award

https://www.qantas.com/agencyconnect...d-baggage.html
You can always polity ask when checking in for the first QF flight. But would expect to be declined.

leisureflier

Hi Mwenenzi, sorry, haven't checked your answer 'til now. Thank you!
So far, everyhing clear and what I'd say this would be "normal" in Europe as well. But, I don't know if I got you right, one will be handled like a "conspicious" fellow if leaving the airside zone to landside and then going back again. Right? Is that like a border patrol process in Australia which is surveyed?
Here in Europe it is usually not a problem to re-enter security area and I normally wouldn't hesitate to use it in case of lounge access for example.

But maybe I can handle it with hand luggage only. I assume QR has online check-in available for flights from SYD. So I could enter Lounge according to my schedule, independently from when counter opens.

leisureflier

Does anyone know about QR online boarding passes in SYD? Probably possible?

AMRivlin

Wow, I am glad I read this through, I may be up for a weird experience. Would love your thoughts.

LAX-SYD-ZQN on AA Business Class+QF Business Class
Leg one arrives at 9am.
Leg two departs at 7:10am next day.
21:50hr Layover.
USA PP - with ETAs.

Was thinking to check bags through to ZQN, and spend the full day in SYD, then find a cheap hotel and return to the T1 at 545am via T8 Train.
A. If I already have my boarding pass, what is the shortest time I can make it through security 630am for a 710am? (no bags, just security and walk on)
B. It looks like if I want my bags checked through, I would need to transfer, then per the prior posts; work hard to go back up stream to arrivals/immigration. (Obviously I can show them my 20+ hr layover as a reason?)
C. If I understand correctly the airport physically closes at night, what happens to someone if they enter T1 with such a long transfer? Worse yet, without an ETA?
D. Hotel options; Rydges 314 AUD (Night train back) or APX Darling 175 AUD (520am train back). Thoughts?

(My backup was to fly UA Y via CHC)

docbert

A. I'll leave that to someone with more recent experience, but the last time I went through SYD International security, even using the Priority line (which you'll get as business) it took close to 30 minutes. I suspect it's normally not that long, but there's no way I'd be cutting it so fine.
B. No. If your bags are checked through you can just act as a connecting passenger and go straight to immigration and enter the country.
C. Nobody is allowed stay airside overnight. Someone with an overnight connection and no ETA will not be allowed board their flight to Australia (one of the conditions of transfer-without-visa is no stays longer than 8 hours)
D. I'd stay in the city, but it's down to what you want to do. Alternatively if you want somewhere in the middle, there's a number of places around Mascot station - then it's just 2 stops on the train next morning but at prices probably below the city option.

I suspect the flaw in your plan is getting AA to check your bags through. Generally they will only check-thru bags for a connection <12 hours. You might be able to talk them into it, but I suspect for an overnight 22 hour connection it's not going to happen. That means you'll need to collect your bags in SYD on day one, and re-check them the next morning. There is baggage storage at the airport, but they won't open in time for you (they open 6am, you probably need to have your bag dropped off by 6:10am), so staying at the Rydges at the hotel may be the best option.

AMRivlin

Thanks for your detailed responses and help here. Bags in hand isn't a deal breaker, but checking through would be a boon.

Based on above, entering T1 sounds feasible, but getting back out would be a hassle (and not too useful beyond a shower).

Mwenenzi

A. AU also has exit emigration controls where you swipe your passport, photo taken~compared and gate open to let you leave Aussie. So another queue to process.
Unknown how long it will take to process security & emigration. Look at SYD departures to get a guide of how many aircraft leaving.
Wanting to leave it as late as you can getting to SYD T1 so how much of a gambler are you? Plan B if you are too late?

B. No hard link between bags interlined and doing an airside transit immediately on the day. Your issue is, as above, airlines do not hold baggage overnight. Not unusual for people doing a long *day* I to I transit to go into the city/harbour for a few hours. These people are often going to NZ. .
FT thread --> baggage check thru? for SYD overnight connection
AFF thread-->https://www.australianfrequentflyer....xt-day.106400/

D. SYD also has on site small hotel in T1 --> https://www.myaerotel.com/en-uk/find...aerotel-sydney
Low cost and very close to the airport are opposites.

Edit
Another post by AMRivlin (same answer)---> Will QF interline to UA on I-I connection?

docbert

If by "entering T1" you mean going airside, that's not going to happen. To get through the transfer area/security you're going to need to show a same-day departing boarding pass, which you won't have. I guess there's the possibility that the might not notice that it's actually next-day, but that's not something I'd be wanting to try out... Plus you're not going to get a shower as the lounges have the same "same day departure" boarding pass requirement.

Coming back from the airside/departure area to the arrivals area means back-tracking through the transit security area, and will result in question (and again probably some interested in your next-day boarding pass) - but it can be done.

If you really want a shower, there are public showers available landside. They aren't actually as bad as you might think, but don't expect anything special (and bring your own towel!)

Last I looked at this, it was more expensive for an overnight stay than the Ridges. Good for a few hours perhaps, but not a full overnight, Edit: actually, looks like they are charging per-night now, not just per hour like they were - so it's a bit cheaper than Rydges.

AMRivlin

TY and good advice!

I booked the Rydges for 299 AUD (lowest appears to be 279 AUD if you book way in advance).

It appears one can check in at anytime, or at a minimum leave bags. We will use the Rydges as our lounge, then head out to explore!

ttownhummer

I'm arriving into SYD from DPS on Garuda at 07:10 and departing to LAX on Delta at 09:25 with no checked bags. Is this enough time? Do I have to go through immigration once I arrive or can I stay within the international terminal?

Mwenenzi

Are these 2 flights on the same ticket/PNR or 2 separate tickets?
You should be able to do an international to international transfer, only needing a security check. No immigration, customs or quarantine. The international arrivals and international departures are physically separate.
https://www.sydneyairport.com.au/

But check the AU govt requirements for transit. Requirements can depend on your passport.
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visa...t-without-visa

docbert

I'm going to presume this is 2 tickets, as I can't see anyone selling that combination on a single ticket...

You *should* be able to stay airside (ie, not pass through immigration), but to do that you'll need to pass through transit security, and to do that you'll need to show a departing boarding pass. Presuming you're able to check-in online, that should be fine. If not, there is a transfer deck before the security area, but I don't know if they can issue Delta boarding passing. Presuming you can go that route, you should be in the departure area no more than 10 minutes after you are off the plane, so presuming you're on time then you're fine.

If for some reason you can't stay airside, then this could be tight. Delta check-in will end 1 hour before departure, so you're really got an hour to get to there. Immigration/customs at that time of day can be a zoo. If you're eligible to use the Smartgates then you should be through with plenty of time (again, presuming your inbound flight is on time). If not, they an hour may not be enough to get through both immigration, customs, and get to the check-in counters. This will also be the case if you had checked bags in which case there's no way I'd be risking this connection.

Regardless of which option you use, you should make sure you have an ETA/visa for Australia. Technically one probably isn't needed for the airside transfer, but on separate tickets Garuda may not let you board without one as from their perspective you are headed to Sydney.

Also, looking at the past few weeks, GA714 doesn't have a good history of arriving on time... In the past few weeks it's been on time exactly once, never early, and on all other days between 11 and 41 minutes late.

prh

In a few weeks, I’ll be flying HNL-SYD-PER in Business on QF. We are scheduled to arrive at 18:10 on a Monday evening and then leave at 19:45. What’s going to be my best bet to get between the terminals? I’m assuming we’ll have to pick up bags and go through security again, yes?

There are going to be 3 in my party; would it be worth paying for one of those meet and greet services?