eminere

Have they resumed calling QF F passengers the day prior again?

kanlis

One world connect doesn’t get first class lounge access? OW emerald flying on fiji for example

Kiwi Flyer

It's been hit & miss for me this year.

kamadzu4

Have an award trip with red-eye PER-SYD in QF J, arriving 6:05 AM in SYD. Then on same ticket, continuing on the 10 PM SYD-DOH in QR F.

Looking forward to the Sydney First Lounge, though I doubt I want to spend the full 16 hour connection there. So right now my tentative plan is to access the SYD Domestic Business Lounge on arrival, shower, have breakfast, store my carry-ons (link below), and then take the AirportLink to the CBD until the early-mid afternoon, then return to access the F lounge.

https://baggagestorage.com.au/locati...ic-airport-t3/

Any issues I'm not foreseeing? By what time should I get to the lounge if I wanted to enjoy a spa treatment? And is there any rule about being allowed in only so-many hours prior to departure, or could I go over even right away in the morning?

happiest_at_40000

I think only can pre arrange treatments if on QF, and even then possibly not always.. I would think like late afternoon would be a good time b/c the late QF to HND is 8pm and the QR flight is even later. I think LA & SIN are all long departed by late afternoon but either way go right to the spa once you come back to the lounge and put your name on the list.

I would be very curious if you do go in the AM how it works as far as leaving to go to CBD b/c I was there recently incoming on AA F and then onto AKL and I was told if I went through security and to the lounge that I cant leave as I would have go to through Border force security and it would cause a whole ordeal. I honeslty hadnt even though of that as I am so used to like LAX where you can come and go as you please.

kamadzu4

My understanding is that with the F lounge being in the international part of the airport, once I'm committed to going, it's a one-way trip that involves passing immigration/customs out of Australia. My only possible next move leaving the lounge would be to board the QR flight.

happiest_at_40000

Yes thats what I was told so I did not go through that point. I had gone down to check in level as I was having an issue with my AKL BP It was someone down there who I had mentioned my plan to do a massage and breakfast and leave bags there who then told me not to do that b/c border force wont let me leave.

I dont get this though b/c what if you're flight was cancelled or you go sick I feel as though I could have done what I wanted to do and got myself clear of the border force and gone into the CBD.

At Virgin Clubhouse T3 at LHR I recall going there after arriving for checking it out and then going into the city and coming back for a flight to Nigeria. It was a little cumbersome to find the way out but I recall someone there also saying you cant leave once you're in but maybe that set up is different than SYD.

kamadzu4

I imagine for an unusual circumstance it would be fine to cross immigration back into Australia, but generally this is not the custom.

I believe that in Singapore, for example, entering the airside zone (after clearing immigration) without intending to depart the country is an arrestable offense.

happiest_at_40000

On this same trip I went up to Singapore after AUS and had a very nice convo with a supervisor of Changi staff b/c I was VERY concerned about this and wanted to make sure I was not doing anything wrong there. Yes you are right if you are never intend to fly and just book to get to the lounges and activities past the landside area then sure yes they take it very serious. However, he assured me you can actually leave and enter SIN ONE time and come back. I had him repeat it and was very thorough in the convo to make sure we were on the same page. They permit you to leave one time but then when you come back and enter airside you cant leave again.

Koru Flyer

Dragging this back to the questions on the SYD F Lounge
- Unlike MEL (the flights only tend to be to customs 4-5 hours before, requiring manual override) you can enter SYD anytime on the day of the flight. I doubt you want to spend 16 hours in the F lounge. You may get some questions, which is more people just being helpful, rather than saying you cannot.
- Doing the QF dom J lounge to shower etc, showers are fine in dom lounge, not as new as say MEL or BNE but perfectly fine, luggage, going into the city, manly etc and back is fine. Note you have to get from the dom to intl terminal (or whatever as your luggage will be stored at one) - train or free terminal bus is fine. The terminals are physically separate on opposite sides of the airport.
- Train system will use a standard Amex, MC, visa card so you will not need an Opal card, Just remember only to tap the card that you use, not your whole wallet. Train is also the most efficient to the CBD, ferries etc.
- Even if on the one PNR, QF may not be able to print the QR BP, and QR may not provide a BP - you may online checkin but sometimes it just spits out an information only print out. You will need a BP to enter the internal terminal where the F Flounge is. So you may need to be prepared for not going through until around 7pm.
- You can pass back through immigration, but I would not recommend it, it is somewhat more complex than say LHR or SIN, and involves human intervention, discussion, rolling of eyes, checks, and I would expect that they would not be overly impressed if your only reason for going through was a shower and slightly nicer breakfast. Also you will be required to go through biosecuirty which may have long lines etc. But yes it happens with cancelled flights, rebooking etc.

Arrive go to dom J lounge, enjoy the day in the city, come back to airport, enjoy F lounge - dont sweat on the spa/massage - it is not that great - which will probably be closed by the time you fly anyway - and enjoy QR J.

KF

og

I have enjoyed the reversal through Immigration at MEL International when my JQ MEL-SYD (tag of a SYD-DPS flight) was cancelled. All “D” stickered domestic pax were gathered and marched as a group through the checkpoints then spat out in the landside public area. It is not something you would normally even consider. As above, you will be treated courtesy but the staff make it 1000% clear that it’s not normal, requires justification, is a waste of staff time when they are already short staffed and is a total pain in the arse.

edit: On initial pass through Immigration, part of your BP is collected by the officer. And on the reversal through Immigration (either at origin or destination), your remaining BP piece is collected. So you have no BP on exit from airside to landside.

m0hamed

I would temper expectations on getting a Spa Treatment. Although QF1 leaves earlier, there were will a number of QF WPs, P1, OWE and EK and QR F pax who will have requested before you.

kirkwoodj

I got an email early morning the day before departure in QF F. no phone call.

DownUnderFlyer

[mod hat] Considering this thread covers more than just access rules I would suggest to make this the official master thread for anything SYD F lounge. Thanks to Mwenenzi for also suggesting this. I will therefore modify the title to reflect this [/mod hat]

Koru Flyer

Was able to access the roped off F/P1/CL section with a BA F BP so good to see open to other OW airlines.

Only two extra dishes - had to ask for the paper menu, the sashimi and steak. Both OK.
Service is still slow and haphazard (duplicate orders etc - really should not happen...)
No wine the carafe, and the rest are the usual circa $30 dan murphy specials. Not exactly F.

But as per the MEL thread, it is all wonderful compared with the alternative....

KF