SQ772

I will be flying Qantas soon, and would like to find out about the check-in options available at both SIN and SYD airports since online check-in is non-existent for their international passengers.

1) SIN-SYD: QF has an early check-in facility at Changi Airport T1. If my flight departs after 10pm, can I check my bags in early in the afternoon, get my boarding pass, go settle my personal matters, and return to the airport later in the evening (around 9pm) to board my flight?

2) SYD-SIN: My flight from SYD-SIN departs at around 5pm. I will be in the vicinity of the airport early in the afternoon, and wish to check my bags in, collect my boarding pass and return to the airport 45 and 60 min before scheduled departure time. Is this feasible?

3) Are Qantas passengers able to check in at any common counters at SYD airport way before their flight (similar to what SQ does at Changi), or do I have to wait for the counters for my particular flight to open (assuming 2 hrs before the flight) before I am able to check in?

I will be traveling in Y on both occasions.

I've written to Qantas to check if the above 2 scenarios are possible, and was told that Qantas does not allow passengers to leave the airport after they have checked in! They didn't respond to my other queries per se.

I'd like to know if frequent travelers on QF to SIN and SYD have experienced otherwise?

DownUnderFlyer

Welcome to FT and the friendly QF forum, SQ772!

I don't have the answer to this question but someone else here might. However, this link gives you a lot of information:
http://www.qantas.com.au/info/flying...rportGuide/sin


Check-in opens 3 hours before departure. So you can check in at 2pm and leave.

You will have to wait until three hours before departure for QF to open the flight.

Poor you!

Of course you can leave the airport. I think what QF means is that you can't leave the airport once you have gone through immigration and security.

Happy flying!

Dave Noble

Unless things have changed, you can indeed check in early for QF flights ex SIN

If you want to check in at 2pm and then go away for a cpl of hours yopu can do, but do make sure you are back at least an hour beforehand to allow time to get through security/immigration

QF doesn't use specific counters for each flight ( excepting that check in for US is/or used to be separated); just go to the QF checkin area and check in

Dave

SQ772

Thanks for the advice and the warm welcome. If I read you correctly, ex-SYD I can only proceed to the designated check in counters 3 hours before my flight. Anything earlier would mean that I will be stuck with my luggage and no where to go?

I'm curious why QF@SYD doesn't implement common check-in like what SQ does at check in? It allows the queues to be spread across the different rows so that you don't have overly congested check in counters at any one time.

drsmithy

No, they mean you can't leave the airport. I have been told exactly the same thing myself after checking in ~5 hours early for a PER-SYD flight ("I'll check you in now, but you're not allowed to leave the airport").

Obviously, they have no way of actually enforcing this, but it is (apparently) one of the "rules".

DownUnderFlyer

"Can't leave the airport". Good one! ^ I wonder who dreamed up this rule in an office somewhere. Doesn't make any sense.

WillR

Dave, does this mean you can check in the night before a QF flight ex-SIN?

serfty

http://www.changiairport.com/changi/...y_checkin.html

I believe so ...

SQ772

So this means that ex-SIN, QF opens their flight for check in as early as 1 day before STD, while in SYD, QF only opens their flight 3 hours before STD?

One of the many reason why I would like to check in early is to get myself on one of those 2 seaters at the back of the 744 (I like my window seat, but dislike having to climb over more than 2 persons).

Without the option of online check in, I guess the most primitive solution is to get to SYD airport 3 hrs early.

serfty

You should make seating preference requests as soon as you have booked.

Anyone can call and request a seat immediately after booking - if you are early enough you have a good chance of success.

Until ~25% of the economy cabin is allocated Qantas generally allow anyone with a booking on an international flight to pre-allocate seating. They do keep the exit and the first 6-10 rows of economy blocked for elites, but most unallocated seats in the the rest of the cabin should be available. This includes the '2 seaters' down the back of the 747's.

If you have a booking on a Qantas flight, you can look it up on www.checkmytrip.com and see if any seating has been allocated - you may even have access to a seat maps for your flights.

DownUnderFlyer

You never have to climb over more than 2 pax unless someone has an infant with them.