SYD T1-T3 transfer
May 25, 2017, 2:50 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 263
SYD T1-T3 transfer
Arrive SYD on MH flight in J at 10:00 a.m. then connect to QF flt. to MEL departs at 12:00 pm. Will have to do immigration/customs of course. I understand that after T1 customs QF has a seamless transfer counter to drop off baggage, then take bus to T3 gate 15 (per QF's website). Do I have to reclear security upon arrival at T3? Is 2 hours enough time to make the connection? Finally, I 'm on MH J, does that get you any expedited immigration queue? Your help is greatly appreciated. The only good thing is that QF has plenty of shuttle flts. to MEL in case I miss my flt. Last time I was in SYD was 20 years ago and I can only imagine the nightmare it is now with int'l flight queues.
May 25, 2017, 4:29 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2003
Programs: OW Emerald
Posts: 1,452
Immigration process is not affected by class of service. If on the same ticket, 2 hrs is fine. If on separate tickets I would say it is too tight (cutoff at bag drop is 45 min and you will need to deplane, clear immigration and customs before then which does not leave a lot of margin for a delay).
May 25, 2017, 4:48 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Sydney
Programs: QF Platinum
Posts: 835
2 hours is doable - but if your MH flight is late then it might get a bit tight. There's a bit of a lull in international arrivals between 9am and 10am so 10 is actually a good time to land.
If you hold an ePassport from one of the following:
Australia
Canada
China
France
Hong Kong
Ireland
Japan
Korea
Macau
New Zealand
Singapore
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States of America
then you can use an automated gate - which I would do.
You have to visit a terminal before you get to the automated gate.
There are a few terminals variously along the side walls as you walk down towards and through the duty free shop and into the immigration zone. If you see a free one on your walk down - jump on it. But I've never seen one free as people always jump on or queue for the first one they see. There are a whole bunch after the duty free shop immediately before the immigration desks and automated gates. Head to about your two o'clock as you come out of the duty free shop. My experience is that you can usually find a free one there.
You have to answer 2 or 3 yes/no questions and it then spits out a ticket. The ticket has to be entered into the automatic immigration smart gate. If you have glasses take them off and look at the flashing arrows. I find the facial recognition software lets you through quicker if you pull your best gormless look.
This shouldn't take more than 5 or 6 minutes.
There are then 5 or 6 stairs down to the baggage belts.
The bottleneck is generally quarantine (so after you have collected your bags). They may give you an express card on the plane - which is a bit useless as there is no express queue anymore. There are two or three lines which snake about and then they triage people depending on what you have ticked on your landing card. Just join a queue with your luggage. You can expect to have your bags x-rayed. If you get unlucky and have a bunch of people infront of you with stuff in their bags warranting further inspection then it can take a while - but given the time of MH's arrival you will probably be ok.
Once you are in the arrivals hall - follow the signs right for the qantas domestic transfer and as serfy says - there's a security check there so you get dumped airside in the terminal for your domestic flight. You get a pretty good behind the scenes tour of the airport on the bus trip across too.
If you hold an ePassport from one of the following:
Australia
Canada
China
France
Hong Kong
Ireland
Japan
Korea
Macau
New Zealand
Singapore
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States of America
then you can use an automated gate - which I would do.
You have to visit a terminal before you get to the automated gate.
There are a few terminals variously along the side walls as you walk down towards and through the duty free shop and into the immigration zone. If you see a free one on your walk down - jump on it. But I've never seen one free as people always jump on or queue for the first one they see. There are a whole bunch after the duty free shop immediately before the immigration desks and automated gates. Head to about your two o'clock as you come out of the duty free shop. My experience is that you can usually find a free one there.
You have to answer 2 or 3 yes/no questions and it then spits out a ticket. The ticket has to be entered into the automatic immigration smart gate. If you have glasses take them off and look at the flashing arrows. I find the facial recognition software lets you through quicker if you pull your best gormless look.
This shouldn't take more than 5 or 6 minutes.
There are then 5 or 6 stairs down to the baggage belts.
The bottleneck is generally quarantine (so after you have collected your bags). They may give you an express card on the plane - which is a bit useless as there is no express queue anymore. There are two or three lines which snake about and then they triage people depending on what you have ticked on your landing card. Just join a queue with your luggage. You can expect to have your bags x-rayed. If you get unlucky and have a bunch of people infront of you with stuff in their bags warranting further inspection then it can take a while - but given the time of MH's arrival you will probably be ok.
Once you are in the arrivals hall - follow the signs right for the qantas domestic transfer and as serfy says - there's a security check there so you get dumped airside in the terminal for your domestic flight. You get a pretty good behind the scenes tour of the airport on the bus trip across too.
May 25, 2017, 5:28 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 263
Thanks for the detailed reply. Yes, it will be close if MH flt. is delayed, and I will have to be rebooked for another QF shuttle to MEL. I am thankful for the QF transfer counter after customs to fob off my baggage and do the security then and there. All major airports worldwide are jam packed these days. Some better organized than others, of course.
May 25, 2017, 5:59 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 20,993
Arrive SYD on MH flight in J at 10:00 a.m. then connect to QF flt. to MEL departs at 12:00 pm. Will have to do immigration/customs of course. I understand that after T1 customs QF has a seamless transfer counter to drop off baggage, then take bus to T3 gate 15 (per QF's website)..
QF have SYD MEL flights every 30-45 minutes
May 25, 2017, 9:10 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 985
Malaysian passport holders can also use the automated gates.
May 27, 2017, 7:13 am
#9
Join Date: May 2003
Programs: OW Emerald
Posts: 1,452
Thanks for the detailed reply. Yes, it will be close if MH flt. is delayed, and I will have to be rebooked for another QF shuttle to MEL. I am thankful for the QF transfer counter after customs to fob off my baggage and do the security then and there. All major airports worldwide are jam packed these days. Some better organized than others, of course.
If on same ticket then you would be rebooked, typically automatically, in the case of any MH delay and 2 hrs connection is perfectly fine.
May 28, 2017, 12:16 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 263
If you are on separate reservations ("self-connecting") then the point is that you should not expect to simply be rebooked on a later flight and may be treated as a no-show.
If on same ticket then you would be rebooked, typically automatically, in the case of any MH delay and 2 hrs connection is perfectly fine.
If on same ticket then you would be rebooked, typically automatically, in the case of any MH delay and 2 hrs connection is perfectly fine.
May 28, 2017, 7:51 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Little old dog box, in Adelaide
Programs: Now back at base level for these 2:QFF-now NB, Virgin-Velocity-NR
Posts: 404
Remember to say you are doing a MR/SR if asked.
Just before you clear that last snaking line, where they collect your incoming pax card and smargate receipt, they will take a look at the incoming pax card, and then decide if you should go to a secondary line, where they will open and inspect, and take a swab of your items in your bags, or you will clear to the public zone without having a secondary inspection.
Some people do have it done to them.
All the best of luck in this odyssey.
SYD int airport has a map on their website, (look at T1) after you clear that line where they collect your forms, turn right and keep going right, there are signs.
There is talk of IPC being gotten rid of sooner or later - but at the moment, you will still have to fill it on the plane.
At the very end, they will do Aust dom airport screening, at the int terminal, so you don't have to do it again at the dom terminal.
Edit: hmm, no more maps by the look of the newly updated Sydney Airport website.
Just before you clear that last snaking line, where they collect your incoming pax card and smargate receipt, they will take a look at the incoming pax card, and then decide if you should go to a secondary line, where they will open and inspect, and take a swab of your items in your bags, or you will clear to the public zone without having a secondary inspection.
Some people do have it done to them.
All the best of luck in this odyssey.
SYD int airport has a map on their website, (look at T1) after you clear that line where they collect your forms, turn right and keep going right, there are signs.
There is talk of IPC being gotten rid of sooner or later - but at the moment, you will still have to fill it on the plane.
At the very end, they will do Aust dom airport screening, at the int terminal, so you don't have to do it again at the dom terminal.
Edit: hmm, no more maps by the look of the newly updated Sydney Airport website.
Last edited by AustralianPoochie; May 28, 2017 at 8:00 am