kdp

I'm leaving SFO-SYD tonight, and am hoping to get any suggestions regarding a potential problem with my return flight on 7/05. I booked through Orbitz and have paper tickets issued by UA, non-exchangeable/ non-refundable. My return is BNE-SYD(QF) 11:05-12:35 & SYD-SFO (UA) 13:35-9:55. When I talked to United CS yesterday, they said that this is not a legal connection- need 1:15 minimum between flights and I should have been on the 10:10 from BNE instead (this option was not available on Orbitz). Orbitz says its legal at 1 hour. So I'm hoping that Qantas will let us go standby earlier on a non-changeable ticket, but assuming not, what will happen with United if we miss this flight (SYD-SFO) or if we just buy an earlier ticket on Qantas, scrapping the 1st leg? And does anyone know the fastest way between Qantas domestic and United International? Thanks

KarenH

I travel on the SYD->SFO route frequently. There can be a delay at gate 53 when all travelers are hand searched, but since they have hired more security staff there have been no queues when I go through.

Is the Qantas flight a domestic or international flight? If it is a domestic flight, it lands at the domestic terminal and there would be a delay while you take a bus to the international terminal.

For a cheaper fare from BNE->SYD for an earlier flight, check out Virgin Blue at www.virginblue.com.au. For some routes I was looking at, it was half the price of Qantas. Of course Virgin Blue flights will be domestic.

ozflier

I do this run fairly regularly and would suggest the connection is too tight by about an hour.
Qantas has ,in my experience, been unsympathetic to any requests for a standby for an earlier flight .
Using Virgin is an option but, as they do not have any interlining agreements,you will have to transfer your baggage to the international terminal and they do not provide an inter terminal shuttle!
It may be that the QF service from BNE ends up at the international terminal anyway in which case you may get away with the short connection time or alternatively , seats with your fare basis (despite the fare restrictions) may become available closer to the time. There is no "fastest"way between Qantas domestic and United International unless you use a taxi or maybe a city shuttle bus and these still involve making your way out and getting them.Taxi drivers are a little unhappy to do this run for financial reasons but at least they can drop you right at UA check in.The QF inter terminal shuttle drops you off at the opposite end of the terminal to UA-it is a fairly long walk.
I would approach QF when you arrive at SYD and hope for some sympathy.
Have a good trip.
Ozflier

kdp

The Qantas flight is #521, which I believe is domestic. Would United cancel the SYD-SFO leg if I skipped the BNE flight? (It's on the same itinerary.)

gleff

Since the BNE-SYD flight is on QF, I can't imagine that UA will care one way or the other whether you're on it. You might want to call UA -- they'll probably confirm this.

See what the heck is a "runk"?

ozstamps

UA will cancel all forward bookings after you miss the FIRST leg of an itinerary ticketed on UA paper AFAIK. Hidden cities and security issues etc, etc. You say the tickets are issued by UA so be mindful of that.

And I agree there is no way known to get off QF domestic and onto UA It'l in an hour. Forgedddd it. The 2 terminals are miles apart and you must clear oz customs FIRST before you get anywhere near security, and there are often lines at both. And UA has an extensive hand check of EVERY person at gate as mentioned above.

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~ Glen ~

tom911

As kdp is hopefully on board his Sydney-bound flight as I write this, I hope he/she has resolved this. Worst case, UA and Qantas both have CTO's in Sydney, if it can't be resolved at the airport. One of the carriers has to have a solution to this (and isn't Orbitz partially owned by UA, anyway?).

mikel51

Laast fall I had to make a connection from Melbourne-Sydney on Qantas and then switch to UA for the flight back to SFO. My original connection was about 1 hour, but I arrived at the airport early enough to stand by on a flight that was one hour earlier. At the Melbourne check-in, Qantas refused to check my bag through to San Francisco, they would only check it to Sydney because they didn't want to transfer the bag to United. Therefore, I decided to carry on my luggage (standard rollarboard + briefcase that I routinely carry on with United). Fortunately, Qantas did let me stand by on the earlier flight, but I was on a full fare business ticket and they may not extend that courtesy to a discounted Orbitz ticket. Even on the full fare business ticket, Qantas would not let me carry on my 21" rollerboard and my briefcase; they would only let me carry on one of the bags (this occured at the gate as I was boarding). This meant that I had to wait for my checked bag to come of the baggage carousel at the domestic terminal, I had to go back through security at the domestic terminal, and then take the Qantas bus to the international terminal. Under this scenario, I did make my flight, but I didn't have a lot of spare time.

It is a long hike accross the international terminal from the Qantas end to the United end.

In order to make the flight I would:

1) try to get to the airport early and standby on the earlier flight. Try to check in for the earlier flight at the outside check in and if they wont do it, then go to the gate and tell them that since you are here early, could they please let you on the earlier flight so that you can make your tight connection.
2)Either convince them to check your luggage through to SFO or take only carry on luggage with you.

kdp

Hello! I'm in SYD now at an internet kiosk. UA in SFO said skipping the QF flight wouldn't cancel the UA leg, But this is our last option since we would be throwing away 4 tickets. Just talked to QF cust. service- no help- said to call their toll free # to try and change ticket- I already tried and they said that I'd have to go through Orbitz for any changes. Since Orbitz still maintains this is a valid connection, they won't help either. Looks like there is a train here between terminals- faster than the bus. We usually only have carry-ons, but hubby is here to go insect collecting, so we had to check in the equipment. Don't know if this will prevent any possibility of standby or not. Thanks for your suggestions, -Kim

jamesyd

Since we are talking SYD, can you give us an update on how the service was on the flight over ? I'm heading down under in a couple of weeks and am curious how things are going on the SFO<->SYD service.

[This message has been edited by jamesyd (edited 06-16-2002).]

tom911

UA has a city ticket office in Sydney..I beleive it is on Barracks Street off of George or Pitt Street. It's not at street level, though, so you won't see it walking by. I've gone in there before and found the staff pleasant to deal with. Why don't you try this? Mention that you were stuck with the Qantas connection being that Ansett is not flying anymore. I can't see that you have anything to lose. Maybe they can lobby Qantas to let you on an earlier flight (thinking someone at the CTO might have a contact at Qantas that could make that come about).

MillionMiles

At worst, there's the SYD-LAX UA816 flight should you miss the 862. Although connection to other cities may be a problem.

In any case, 1 hr b/n SYD domestic and international with check luggage is risky. Being off-peak hours, maybe you'll connect but it'll be a psychologically unpleasant hour of rushing around.

ozstamps

Tom911 is correct. United's CTO is level 5, 10 Barrack Street. In city centre, near GPO and main Wynyard train station. They may be able to assist as the ticket is on their paper.

I am surprised 'Orbitz' is not required to retain and work within the same legal connection times the airlines use? What if they said it was 50 minutes. Or 26 minutes? Surely they are required to ticket using legal connection times? And if not, allow a change to ensure they do. Once again, there is no way known if both flights are on time that one hour will work for you.

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~ Glen ~

JS1K

Last trip in Australia, Quantas put in on first available flight when I check in early on MEL-BNE and BNE-SYD. Check if there is space and go to the airport early. Just smile.

Banton

Just returned from Brisbane Tuesday to connect with the UA flight to SFO. We flew Virgin Blue to Sydney leaving BNE at 8:45 a.m. arriving in Sydney at 10:20. Virgin Blue arrives at the EXPRESS TERMINAL - not the domenstic terminal, although both require transportation to the international terminal. After collecting your bags from VB(15 minutes) you must take a taxi, which is right outside the terminal, or go out to the street (short walk) and catch a bus (AU$2.60) to the International terminal, which, as others have pointed out, is a long way from the Express terminal. We waited 10 minutes for the bus. I was surprised by how long it took to traverse the distance. In addition, once you get to the international terminal, there can be a long wait to check in at UA (K area, which is a 10 minute walk from where the buses drop you off). The UA economy check-in line was very long Tuesday, and even the 1K line, which I was in, took 30 minutes to clear. Prominently displayed on TV's is the notice that "Flights close 30 minutes prior to departure." I looked at my watch when I finally entered the RCC and it was 11:45. So the transition from landing at the Express terminal to completed check-in was about 1 hour 30 minutes. I was not rushing, but it would be hard to shave much time off of that estimate.
It may pay to buy a ticket online from Virgin Blue from BNE to SYD on the 8:45 a.m. flight (you can also go VB from Coolangata to SYD at 7:00 a.m. if you're down on the Gold Coast) and just throw away or try to get a refund for the Qantas ticket if you want to be more certain that you will make the UA connection. My seat mate on the BNE-SYD flight said his ticket was AU$77, return, although mine was AU$89 return. good luck.

[This message has been edited by Banton (edited 06-21-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Banton (edited 06-21-2002).]