Bad advice from Qantas on SYD International Transit

[encryptededdy]

My friend just travelled from BER to AKL via. LHR and SYD on BA985, QF2, and QF143. Since I helped them book the trip, I gave them some information about what to expect when transiting. Specifically, I noted that their bags would be checked through to Auckland, and just use the standard international transit procedure in LHR and SYD.

The entire trip was booked with Qantas on a single PNR.

Unfortunately, when they got to the gate at LHR to pick up their Qantas boarding passes (I have no idea why these weren't issued in BER, maybe document checks, but that's a different issue), they were told that they needed to uplift their bag in SYD (thereby clearing customs), and re-check it. I thought there was no way this was correct, and asked for a picture of their bag tag.

I should add that the staff in the Qantas London lounge were very helpful and allowed my friend to use the lounge with the complementary lounge pass I gave them, even though they didn't have the boarding pass yet (since the gate hadn't been announced yet).



As you can see, it's very much checked through to Auckland. I asked them to find another staff member at the gate, who also confirmed that they would need to clear customs before continuing onto the flight to Auckland. At this point, I was in disbelief, and told them to ask staff again during the stopover in Darwin.



At this point I was thoroughly confused. I ensured that my friend showed them their boarding pass & the luggage tag. They were still adamant that clearing customs in Sydney was required.



So I tell them that they should probably fill out the DPD if they're going to clear customs, but they were told by the same person that it's not needed for Transit. What.

Anyway, this was eventually resolved when my friend arrived in Sydney and finally someone told them that no, they didn't need to clear customs, and that whatever advice they got in LHR and DRW was wrong.

What an awful and stress inducing saga, including my words against those of Qantas agents, and also my friend stressing about entry criteria into Australia for which they had not prepared for. Also, delays on QF2 meant that their transit time in SYD was less than 3 hours, so that doesn't even leave much time to clear and re-enter customs (especially considering how messed up SYD can be at times these days), or time to use the lounge pass that I had given them for use in SYD.

Anyway, my reason for posting this is because I'm genuinely very curious as to why so many Qantas agents (to be fair, they could be airport employees) in two airports seemed to think that my friend needed to re-check their bag in SYD for an international transit. Did it used to work this way (not as far as I can recall), or was there some special procedure during COVID that they're misremembering? Maybe they're confused about that weird DRW to SYD leg and thought it was domestic? (but then they would have to uplift bags in DRW too and this wasn't mentioned) Maybe they thought that Auckland was part of Australia?

 

[clifford]

Maybe they're confused about that weird DRW to SYD leg and thought it was domestic? (but then they would have to uplift bags in DRW too and this wasn't mentioned) Maybe they thought that Auckland was part of Australia?

Indeed, perhaps they thought SYD-AKL was domestic? After all, it's "Down Under"...

 

[encryptededdy]

Indeed, perhaps they thought SYD-AKL was domestic? After all, it's "Down Under"...

I had considered this option, but the Darwin agent told my friend that they didn't need a DPD because they were just transiting... if it was really domestic then they would totally need a DPD to clear customs fully.

Also maybe someone in London doesn't know that Auckland isn't part of Australia (but if you're working at an airport at the gate...), but surely someone in Darwin would...

 

[pmdg7444]

At those ports, staff are from 3rd party ground handling agencies

 

[RichardMEL]

oh dear. that is terrible.

 

[RooFlyer]

At those ports, staff are from 3rd party ground handling agencies

... Which shouldn't matter much, except for the fact that we know Qantas doesn't train/instruct anyone competently and basically couldn't give a rat's bottom about the consequences of that.

 

[AIRwin]

At least the advice is consistent...

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I would've told them to call QF customer service but by the time they picked up they would probably be in AKL and would be told by the helpful agents that they need to quarantine in SYD!

-RooFlyer88

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Sometimes, its best not to be arguementative with staff at airports.
Worst case scenario, even though the flyer might not be screaming, or going troppo, if the staff member felt even threatened, they might their airport police.
Get the friend to write to QF, even though they might not get a reply, but that is better than having a screaming fit/or not at an airport.

 

[Melburnian1]

Sometimes, its best not to be arguementative with staff at airports.
Worst case scenario, even though the flyer might not be screaming, or going troppo, if the staff member felt even threatened, they might their airport police.
Get the friend to write to QF, even though they might not get a reply, but that is better than having a screaming fit/or not at an airport.

There's a difference between 'argumentative' and 'assertive'.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Sometimes, its best not to be arguementative with staff at airports.
Worst case scenario, even though the flyer might not be screaming, or going troppo, if the staff member felt even threatened, they might their airport police.
Get the friend to write to QF, even though they might not get a reply, but that is better than having a screaming fit/or not at an airport.

I can't speak for QF since I'm new to this game, but certainly flying UA or AC or even LH, this statement is certainly true. What's key to remember is you don't need to win the argument with the agent you are speaking to you need to win the argument with an agent with authority at the airport.

Case in point I was flying to Atlantic Canada back in 2019 on Air Canada and my connecting flight into Montreal arrived late causing an overnight. I get to customer service desk (since it's dumb engaging with gate agents), and speak with the agent there who apologizes and issues me a ticket for the following day. I inquire about whether a hotel and meals will be required since I now have to overnight it. They said since it was outside their control (Montreal ATC issues) they aren't liable. I said fine, took my ticket and visited the Maple Leaf Lounge and spoke with an agent there. He said, yes I'm entitled to such a thing but the lounge can't issue the paperwork for all of that and that I need to visit the ticketing desk landside. End up leaving airside to pick up my checked bag and go to ticketing desk where there the agent cheerfully issues me the hotel voucher and ~$60 in meal vouchers. At every point I could have fought my way with the agent, arguing about how Star Alliance policy says that as a Star Gold during controllable IRROPs events I'm entitled to this or that, but what would I gain? After all, they have all the power, even if they may be wrong about a policy.

One of the things that does worry me is that there are now far fewer customer touch points with QF. It's all phone based meaning hours on hold, and if you get an agent you don't like it's gonna be even more hours on hold to find one that knows what they're doing. QF needs to realize that phone support only works when people are virtually travelling from the comforts of their own home. When they are out there at the airports, making connections at airports that could be many thousands of miles from home, providing them with a number to call when they're stranded isn't enough.

-RooFlyer88