Baggage Transfer from Domestic to International and vice versa

[Viper6]

Hi everyone

A friend is travelling with Qantas from Brisbane to Sydney (Domestic) which arrives in Sydney at 7:15PM then from Sydney to Vancouver (International) at 8:25PM. Firstly, will they need to collect their bags in Sydney or will they be transferred automatically from Domestic to International terminal and they pick them up in Canada? Both flights were booked with Qantas at the same time. Secondly, do you think they will even have enough time to make the connecting flight? Personally I would be very nervous and the short turnaround...

Then coming back to Australia, land at Perth International with Qantas and have to take a domestic flight to Brisbane with Qantas a couple of hours later. I assume bags will need to be collected at Perth International and there is no way for them to transfer automatically to the Brisbane flight?

 

[justinbrett]

Hi everyone

A friend is travelling with Qantas from Brisbane to Sydney (Domestic) which arrives in Sydney at 7:15PM then from Sydney to Vancouver (International) at 8:25PM. Firstly, will they need to collect their bags in Sydney or will they be transferred automatically from Domestic to International terminal and they pick them up in Canada? Both flights were booked with Qantas at the same time. Secondly, do you think they will even have enough time to make the connecting flight? Personally I would be very nervous and the short turnaround...

Then coming back to Australia, land at Perth International with Qantas and have to take a domestic flight to Brisbane with Qantas a couple of hours later. I assume bags will need to be collected at Perth International and there is no way for them to transfer automatically to the Brisbane flight?

Bags will be connected. Pax needs to go to Gate 15 on landing and get a bus to the international terminal.

This is very close to the minimum connecting time (which is 60 minutes). So legal, but not a great idea. Considering the number of BNE-SYD flights, I would get your friend to book an earlier connecting flight if possible. SYD-YVR isn't even daily so the impact of missing the connection is pretty big.

As for return, Australia always requires bags to be collected and clear customs on the first arrival port, unless you have a connecting international flight (which may include domestic legs operating as international). But if it's PER-BNE, definitely will need to collect in PER.

 

[ric_melb]

A friend is travelling from Melbourne to Sydney on Qantas Domestic, and then has to transfer to International to catch a Latam flight to Santiago, Chile. Traveling on a Qantas ticket with QF flight number on Latam, being codeshared.

I understand the options are :
Qantas bus (if now reactivated)
Airport Transfer bus (TBus)
Train
Taxi?
Any other options that I don't know about.

He has poor eyesight and is not very good at negotiating things such as changing terminals.
I believe his luggage will be checked through from Melbourne to Santiago.
Has anyone had recent experience in making such a transfer, would appreciate their comments or recommendations.

Thanks.

 

[RichardMEL]

ric_melb - Hopefully the transfer from gate 15 will be operating as that's obviously the easiest. The next easiest would be the Tbus or the train, but the bus would be the easier option imo. I have poor vision and I've done the train and bus options without real incident.

Hopefully he has a good long connection time to feel more comfortable to negotiate the transfer, as once at SYD Int terminal he will, of course, have to pass through international departures, security etc again which is always fun.

It's not the worst transfer in the world (cough CDG cough for one) but it's also far from ideal. Good luck to him!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Don't forget the DPD, and depending on return date, the IPC might go to app or laptop only emode by then.
Some on here say the DPD takes 3 mins, was mentioned by one colleague, and no, I haven't done it, but from what I see on youtube, its a bit of a job to fill in data, and then take a phone photo of your passport photo page, and then take a selfie, ...
So hard.
Best of luck on (friend's) return, and pre return form filling.
Edit: for Ric_melb, as for transitting from T3 to T1, yes, those are the only few ways of getting across.
The gate 15 bus, is the best one.

 

[JohnK]

Minimum connection time in SYD is 60 minutes but I'm not sure why Qantas is offering these connections for sale.

I've seen so many people have issues and unnecessary stress. All it takes is 15-20 minute delays in the evenings for things to go pear shaped.

 

[ric_melb]

Many thanks for the answers to my questions. I will hope that the transfer from gate 15 is operating, if not Tbus or train.
Luckily my friend has a 3 hour connection time in Sydney, so should be able to make the connection. I have told him to ask for help if he gets confused, so hopefully someone will give him guidance.
As far as the DPD on return goes he will take all the instructions for this and his English speaking nephew, in Santiago, will have the task of making sure it's applied for.

 

[TripleB]

I don't mean to unfairly hijack this thread but it just seems like the right place to ask without clogging up the boards with a standalone thread.

Does anyone know if the Qantas domestic transfer checkin area is open at the international terminal these days (the one at the Northern end of the international terminal)?

The reason I ask is this - I'm moving interstate (from Sydney) with 2 little kids and a mountain of luggage. We have a 7am domestic flight. I think that the most convenient hotel option for dealing with the luggage is probably the Rydges at the international terminal ... provided that the international domestic checkin area is open. It's just a short walk from the Rydges. Pre-covid the Rydges and the international domestic transfer area was always my go to move for any morning domestic flights. I'd rather not be putting a stroller and 6 or 7 pieces of luggage on a hotel shuttle bus or the regular domestic-international transfer bus.

 

[Mwenenzi]

I don't mean to unfairly hijack this thread but it just seems like the right place to ask without clogging up the boards with a standalone thread.

Does anyone know if the Qantas domestic transfer checkin area is open at the international terminal these days (the one at the Northern end of the international terminal)?

The reason I ask is this - I'm moving interstate (from Sydney) with 2 little kids and a mountain of luggage. We have a 7am domestic flight. I think that the most convenient hotel option for dealing with the luggage is probably the Rydges at the international terminal ... provided that the international domestic checkin area is open. It's just a short walk from the Rydges. Pre-covid the Rydges and the international domestic transfer area was always my go to move for any morning domestic flights. I'd rather not be putting a stroller and 6 or 7 pieces of luggage on a hotel shuttle bus or the regular domestic-international transfer bus.

Before CV19 used to be able to check in for AU domestic (without a QF arriving international). And will be passengers from international flights that have separate QF domestic flights.

For a 07:00 T3 domestic flight the QF bus and/or T-bus may not be running early enough for you. Have read Rydges have a shuttle bus, but best to phone them and ask.
At ~06:00 a lot of long hauls start to arrive--> very very busy. Have read reports of waiting ~30min to get onto a transfer bus.


Look here-->“Seamless Light” - Experiences with QF’s new terminal transfer at SYD

 

[TripleB]

Thankyou - sorry I'd missed that thread.

 

[Nomadster]

I arrived at BNE International the other day. The domestic transfer desk was closed and had to lug bags over to Domestic on the bus. It got worse as the Platinum check in area was also closed. Tried to use the self check-in computer but it didn't work. Asked for help and found out that International transfers had to go to the service counter. Hardly a seamless transfer service from Qantas.

 

[justinbrett]

I arrived at BNE International the other day. The domestic transfer desk was closed and had to lug bags over to Domestic on the bus. It got worse as the Platinum check in area was also closed. Tried to use the self check-in computer but it didn't work. Asked for help and found out that International transfers had to go to the service counter. Hardly a seamless transfer service from Qantas.

I take it that it wasn't a QF-QF connection? What time was it and who were the carriers?

BNE Premium (it's not just WP) check in has been open every time I've been to BNE in the last month or so.

 

[Nomadster]

No it was QF-QF on Friday 30/4 at about 17:00

 

[justinbrett]

No it was QF-QF on Friday 30/4 at about 17:00

In that case, why did you need to go to international connections? Surely your bag was already tagged and could just drop it in the bag drop?

What did they tell you to do? Were you on different bookings?

International Connections at domestic airports mean D>I usually. Should be straight forward the other way.

 

[jboy90]

I take it that it wasn't a QF-QF connection? What time was it and who were the carriers?

BNE Premium (it's not just WP) check in has been open every time I've been to BNE in the last month or so.

Weirdly I've seen premium shut twice in the past month or so at BNE in the evenings. Not sure if they are limiting hours. Would have been around 4-7pm on arrival both times.

 

[Nomadster]

Same PNR with bags tagged to final destination but no boarding pass issued on the app or at check in.

 

[justinbrett]

Same PNR with bags tagged to final destination but no boarding pass issued on the app or at check in.

That’s not normal. Did they explain why you didn’t get the domestic boarding pass in LAX?

 

[ric_melb]

A follow up to my original posts. My friend fronted up at QF checkin for Domestic/International transfers at an ungodly hour of 5am for his 7am flight to Sydney. Took a friend with him who is also Chilean and who assisted in preparation of all the paperwork. Friend explained all the documents to the Qantas check in lady, and satisfied her that all requirements were met. He then advised her that our friend had poor eyesight and could someone in Sydney assist him with transfer from Domestic to International terminals. No worries she said will arrange everything. His check in luggage was checked through from Melbourne to Santiago.

So friend is met in Sydney domestic by a Qantas employee with a wheelchair who takes him to the Qantas transfer bus (yes its working again).
At International he is met by another Qantas employee with a wheelchair and through Immigration. Boards plane first. In Santiago met by a LATAM employee with wheelchair and taken through Immigration to Baggage Collection.

Very comprehensive care by Qantas and ensured the trip went without a hitch.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Good service.
Has been noted the QF bus Gate 15 to T1 has been in operation for some time (like it used to).
Going the other way T1 to T3 is now "seamless lite"

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

When they do things well, and right, QF can be the best.
But parts of them still let the impression of the airline by us, down.