I received a lot of help with booking FF seats to London and am now six months away from the trip but I need advice please.
We have booked our FF seats Per-Sin-LHR-Sin so far - all in Business class and did not book Sin-Per as we didn't have enough points at that time.
We now have to purchase the flight Sin-Per and a little unsure.
Our flight from LHR arrives in SIN around 5.30pm SIN time.
There is a flight SIN-Per at 7.20pm and also one around 11.30pm that night.
As we would have already travelled so long LHR-SIN it would be great to get the 7.20pm flight to Perth.
My question is - this would be a purchased ticket and I am not familiar with how it works.
Do we check the baggage thru from LHR - SIN - Per on whichever flight we pay SIN-PER?
If they are two different booking references will it only travel to SIN?
If for some reason the LHR-SIN flight is delayed - what happens with our purchased ticket SIN-PER as it is on Qantas, just that incoming to SIN is FF and outgoing to PER is a purchased fare.

I am reluctant to book just yet - I know the consultants can advise but from past experience each one can tell you something different.

As you are all seasoned travellers perhaps you can recommend the best option. Personally I don't want to spend six hours at SIN airport on my way home but I also don't want to miss the earlier flight and be stuck.

As long as you get connected through to the PER flight in LHR, the 1920 flight shouldn't be a problem.
I'd take the 1920 (QF78) over the 2330 as the later one is JQ.

I take it that your LHR-SIN is on QF10?

Thanks Himeno - yes we are on QF 10.
It says QF 78 and QF 72 on the date we are flying - not JQ?
So in LHR they can connect the two and that way the luggage goes all the way to Perth and if any delays what would happen if we don't make the earlier flight? As mentioned they would be on two different booking references.

They should just check luggage to Perth

If you are on 2 different bookings and misconnect , then you are down to whether Qantas chooses to assist. Being 2 bookings, the airline is under no obligation to assist and just hold you to fare rules of purchased ticket

They alternatively may just rebook you for no charge

Personally, whenever on separate bookings I always leave a decent margin in case problems occur

+1^

Would two hours be a decent amount of time to connect?
I suppose there could be delays which cause us to miss even the second flight which is five hours difference.
There is no guarantee for either - therefore travel insurance is needed - does travel insurance cover a missed flight due to delays?

I would not do a two hour connection on separate tickets. Five hours is a maybe but I'd be more comfortable with much more. "do you feel lucky"

I suspect travel insurance will look to the airline responsible for the delays to pay for the costs incurred due to the delay (if weather, then insurance should pay, but if a mechanical, then the airline should pay and look after you, but if on separate tickets, then the airline will say "insurance"). Separate tickets, then "self insurance".

My personal level of comfort, I would not take 2 hours as enough; my personal preference would be to overnight in Singapore and take the morning flight to Perth; there is no guarantees of not misconnecting, but with a margin like that I take the the approach that I have time to phone the airline and change the 2nd booking before I become a no-show

Thanks Dave - that would mean we would have to collect luggage and go through customs etc in Singapore to overnight and then go through international departure requirements to head to Perth and go through Customs again?
My husband has to be at work Thursday afternoon in Perth so we would have to catch an early flight home in the morning if we stay overnight.

Customs/immigration at Singapore is generally fast and painless ; the airline can check the bags through onto the morning flight so no need to collect luggage, just ensure u have enough in hand luggage to do you for the night. There is a pretty decent hotel in Terminal 3 which is a 2 minute ride on the inter terminal shuttle landside

in the end it is down to your comfort factor in tightness of connection that needs to be taken into account; I tend to be risk averse where possible; the morning flight is at 0905 getting in at 14:15; if all goes to schedule then the 1920 flight iis fine but a delay can throw it into disarray

Yikes can't do it - the 7.20pm flight is the next available on the following night. My husband would miss his gig!
Looks like we will have to take the later of the two flights home.
Just have to have fingers crossed it will work out and take insurance - will look into insurance options for our trip.

The overnight seems logical - the risks far out weigh the schedule.

Me, I would head into town stay at the MO or FS, have a great meal (sooo many places to eat) and enjoy breakfast, swim, lunch, swim & then head to the airport.

The other option then is to leave one day earlier.

Thanks Amaroo - I'm not a regular - what's the MO or the FS?

From 26 March 2012, the SIN-PER schedule will be:

• QF078 SIN 1920 – 0030+1 PER 333 D
• QF072 SIN 2330 – 0445+1 PER 333 D

QF72 is a morning flight at the moment, but it is being re-timed to be a late evening departure from then. My surmise is that this reflects the permanent cancellation of the QF32 early morning arrival from LHR as from that date.

I don't know the exact date of the OP's travel, but as the flight is "six months away" this may be the source of the confusion.

So (providing tickets are available at the right price), booking on QF72 at 2330 that night would provide more margin for error. The time zone changes involved mean that the different arrival times are much of a muchness really - neither will feel like the middle of the night for the OP.