mkdoc

Arriving into MEL from NZ (Air NZ) at around 17:30 before an international flight to LHR @23:30 with QF in J. Not sure if I can check my bags all the way through to London- and if I should go through transit in MEL and hang around- or go into the city. Any help/ advice appreciated, thanks

Guvner067

You won't have enough time to get in to the city and back and do anything meaningful whilst there. You'd have 2 hours tops in the city if transport worked in your favor.


Conservative timings.
Arr @ 17:30
Out through customs @ 18:00
Taxi or Skybus to City by 18:45

Need to be back at airport by say 21:30 at the latest so leave city at 20:45

Cost of transport anywhere from $36 for bus to $120 for taxi.


Depending how long you are away for maybe look at buying a 30 day Admiral's Club membership which you can use to get in to the Qantas Club in Melbourne and the Admiral's Club in Heathrow T3 (if you are flying QF back)

Cheaper than a rtn trip to the city and a meal.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInform...s/mel-club.jsp

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInform...s/lhr-club.jsp

edit: Forget that last bit, just realised you are flying J... I'd just go the Qantas Bus Lounge (or CX lounge) and stay there

BD1959

Hi mkdoc,

There is an Interline Agreement between NZ/QF however I'm guessing you're asking the question since you're on separate tickets? In that case I believe you'll need to retrieve your bags and recheck with QF.

I'm pretty sure J check-in for QF9 opens at t-4hrs and so you won't be able to drop your bags until 19:30 anyway (others may contradict ... I've had no problems dropping bags slightly before this at the First Check-In suite - for which you'd need to be OWE/QF WP); being restricted to this check-in time would definitely preclude you from making a trip to the CBD.

Regards,

BD

amit1978

Thanks, yes I am travelling on separate tickets so guess I will have to collect my bags and then recheck them in with QF but a shame I will not be able to do that till t-4. My friends were coming to meet me for dinner but now can't make it.

lokijuh

Only one other comment. Not sure if you really have to be back at the airport by 21:30 if already checked in. I routinely arrive at MEL for SQ departures at about 60-70 mins before the flight (for checkin which closes at T-45) and have never even missed a visit to the lounge, let alone the flight. But always relying on private transport , so that is one factor that makes it easier to do this. If flying J you will have express pass that should make it quicker to get through security and immigration if it is busy.

amit1978

Had to collect bags, and no one at check in, so have been allowed in to the QF domestic lounge and will then pick up bags from left luggage and check in at around 8pm -thanks for all the help

davistev

Do I need to clear Immigration in Melbourne and check in landside with QF or does QF have a Transfer desk Airside International? I have no checked bags.

Arrive Philippine Airlines 8:30AM
Depart QF to LAX 11:15AM

Separate Itineraries.

Kiwi Flyer

No need to clear immigration since no checked bags. There is no transit desk - you get boarding pass for the onward flight at the gate about an hour before departure (or at the lounge if you have access).

og

OP stated separate itineraries. If OLCI has not been done, then they may have problems with attempted check-in at the gate an hour before departure (if in Y):
International Qantas operated services at all Australian international airports (QF1-QF399)
Latest check-in
Economy or Premium Economy: 90 minutes
Business or First: 60 minutes

Kiwi Flyer

I doubt there will be an issue unless attempting to check in just before boarding completes. It is QF that chooses not to have a transfer desk and to only man the gate desk about 1 hour before departure, and it follows therefore they accept passengers may check in that close to departure.

davistev

Can I get a boarding pass at the Qantas lounge?

og

Yes

davistev

issue solved then. Thanks. It is rare to find myself in this situation of transiting within my own country.

davistev

The Qantas lounge sent me to the gate to get the pass. The gate agent was not too impressed. She wanted to know how I got into the terminal without a boarding pass and so I explained that I just arrived on an incoming international flight. I asked about seating on the LAX flight and she said it is pretty tight and that my seat was good. Yet again, the lazy finger syndrome strikes me again. The flight had rows of empty seats and I was stuck seated next to another big guy. I was too slow in moving over and so I just crawled into my sardine can compartment for the next 15 hours. I really hope the 787 economy seats will give us more room in economy than the A380 / A330 nightmare.

Sometimes I wonder where Qantas gets their ground staff from, as they certainly are not of the same calibre as their flight crew.

Anyway - I made my tight connection. All ok!

serfty

That is really weird.

I have never had problems getting a BP for an international QF flight from an Airside Qantas Business/First lounge in the departure terminal.