kdp

I booked a trip on Orbitz a couple of days ago, getting the only itinerary that showed up for the day (below). I just realized that the departure out of SYD only allows 1 hour between my flights, & I need to get to the international terminal w/ 2 young kids. Is this at all possible? Any possibility of going standby on Qantas for an earlier flight? Any feedback would be apreciated!

Friday, Jul 5, 2002

Qantas Airways # 521
Brisbane International (BNE) to Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD)
Departure: Jul 5 11:05 AM GMT+10:00 (morning)
Arrival: Jul 5 12:35 PM GMT+10:00 (afternoon)

United Airlines # 862
Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD) to San Francisco International (SFO)
Departure: Jul 5 1:35 PM GMT+10:00 (afternoon)
Arrival: Jul 5 9:55 AM PDT (morning)

kdp

We have paper tickets, if this make a difference. Also, will bags checked on Qantas need to be picked up in SYD and rechecked with United or do they transfer automatically?

Dave Noble

It seems a bit tight to me though quite doable. When you arrive at Sydney, there is an airside transfer bus to the International terminal near gate 5 (iirc). As long as they check your bags through to SFO, you should be fine.

For piece of mind, I would be inclined to take an earlier flight to Sydney. The 09:30 or 10:10 would give you that added safety ( The 09:30 flight QF26 is a nice service on a 747-400 which will drop you off at the International terminal so no inter terminal transfer )

If you can't change, I wouldn't fret too much

Dave

[This message has been edited by Dave Noble (edited 05-25-2002).]

thadocta

Gate 1, actually.

Agree with all that Dave said above - with one exception. Don't bother trying to change onto QF26 from the INT terminal. Generally, staff at INT terminals don't have a clue about fare rules and whether you can change or not, and whether they can change you despite the fare rules.

I would be getting to BNE *DOMESTIC* terminal as early as you possibly can - and explain to the check-in droid the situation, and ask if you can go on an earlier flight if you can. From an operational viewpoint, Qantas would prefer that you did, but they won't change your booking to accommodate this. But checking in is a different matter, since it is the staff who have to deal with overbooked paxs, etc resulting from a failed flight, who will deal with the request to move to an earlier flight, and generally they will go out of their way to get someone out of their airport at the first possible chance (trust me, I used to work in this area).

So get to BNE Domestic as soon as you possibly can, even if it means spending many hours in Sydney, and try and get on the first possible flight.

Dave

Dave Noble

"Don't bother trying to change onto QF26 from the INT terminal. Generally, staff at INT terminals don't have a clue about fare rules and whether you can change or not, and whether they can change you despite the fare rules."

I was thinking that it was quite possible that he would have a fare that would allow changes. If so, all he has to do is call reservations and get rebooked on 26.

Dave

744

Check in "droid". Is that like a taxi driver droid? I digress. Back to the original question.
I would be contacting your travel agent and
see if they can get it changed to an earlier flight. 1 hour is not sufficient in the real world.

[This message has been edited by 744 (edited 05-26-2002).]

thadocta

Hey, I used to be one, with QF - just like when I was on a help desk at the ATO IT section, we called ourselves "help desk droids".

Dave

NM

Just a thought ... can you use the QF coursesy transfer bus (leaves domestic opp gate 1) if on a UA flight from the International terminal? I suspect not. When entering the bus waiting lounge you need to have your Int boarding pass swiped, and if you are not checked-in, they will do so there at the gate, and they won't be able to do that for the UA flight.

Alternative is to use the train, which will cost about A$4 between terminals. I have done this once when I had a domestic e-ticket BNE-SYD and then had to collect paper QF ticket at the international terminals and therefore had to lug my luggage between terminals. The train was in fact quicker than the bus often is. I only had to wait about 2 mins for the train and was at the Int terminal ticket counter within 10 mins of arriving at Domestic. But of course this depends on how long one has to wait for the train.

BrisbanePE

If your ticket includes both QF and UA segments then you are entitled to use the QF international transfer facilities. If you have separate tickets - I don't know.

However, QF in BNE will not be able to issue your UA boarding pass. Even though your luggage will check-through you'll still need to go to UA check-in at the Intl terminal for your BP. And as QF and UA are at opposite ends of the terminal you'll have a long walk from the bus to the check-in.

A one hour connection time is possible but I wouldn't bank on it. With two young children in tow I wouldn't even attempt it.

rdd

You can indeed use the courtesy transfer buss if travelling on UA - even if no boarding pass - they just need to sight the ticket, as long as you've arrived on a QF flight. Keep your boarding pass, they might check.

AshleyF

I'm not sure about the last bit of advice. I have been told that the only way I could do the Internationl transfer on the bus from Domestic was with a boarding pass.
I got it at the Gate 1 check in but I WAS flying QF.
I echo the other's thoughts about leaving earlier . You don't need the stress.!

BrisbanePE

You may need to prove you are flying Intl but you don't need a BP - QF can't issue UA BP's. In the "old" days when QF only catered for OW passengers you'd have the BP anyway - today it's a different story.