BNE to LAX via SYD 1 hour transit

[Zagantha]

Hi,

I’ve got my flight to LA next week and am stressing out now as I’m reading and hearing that one hour transit won’t be enough time? I’ve never been to Sydney airport but I’m reading I would catch the qantas seamless shuttle? Would I then need to go through customs/immigration and then get to my terminal? I’m assuming my checked in baggage from Brisbane will go straight to LA from my understanding. I’m really stressed so any pointers and tips would be appreciated

 

[Cognac]

Just to add to the discussion about minimum connection times at Sydney:

We initially had a 3h30m connection in Sydney when transferring to QF75 to Vancouver. Qantas cancelled the domestic leg and put us on the next one, which had a 90 minute stopover - which would have been fine except that our new fight ended up being delayed by 45 minutes.

Several other factors to add:
1. They rebooked us while we were mid-flight, but no one told us what was going on so we had no idea. In fact, when we asked the CSM because we were worried about the connection he actually told us they'd be holding the plane for us as there were a couple of people on that fight. Assuming that they had our details and there weren't an issues we immediately disembarked and went to gate 15 with our boarding passes where we were told our connection had been "severed", go to the counter after the exit to get more information.
2. The guy at the counter just gave us some hotel details and our flight number for the following day with Air Canada, couldn't give us any other details. The ground staff weren't particularly informative, not eager to be helpful, which after the crew on our domestic flight was even less useful was extremely disappointing.
3. We have special meal requests, one of which is diabetic. Those requests didn't get transferred across to our rescheduled domestic flight (so no food per-syd), and Qantas are now telling me that they are unable to confirm this for the rebooked flight with AC tomorrow morning because it classifies as a "late request". While inconvenient and sucky, this isn't really an issue on a short haul flight. For a 14h30m flight however, not really acceptable.
4. Ms Cognac has a real anxiety of flying and has to work up the courage to make a trip. We got the notification the other day that we got a classic business upgrade, which made the trip much more bearable in the lead up. That's obviously been blown out of the water now and is causing major problems. Hopes up and then shattered as we get to the connecting airport is much, much worse than just having a baseline level of anxiety in the lead up to the trip.
5. I'm QFF Platinum. So while I'm not the highest revenue earner on their books, I fly often enough to know that irrops are part of the deal sometimes. But the lack of communication in this situation has been truly terrible. If this is what they have to offer a WP by means of service on a full revenue fare I really, really feel for what others have to deal with.
6. Now we're really getting into first world problems: I booked this trip using a covid-related TravelPass with DSC attached. Won't get those sweet DSCs for that long trip across the pacific now that we're going with AC instead.

So, long story short, if you're flying through Sydney with Qantas onto an international connection, get in the day before if you can.

 

[dylarr]

6. Now we're really getting into first world problems: I booked this trip using a covid-related TravelPass with DSC attached. Won't get those sweet DSCs for that long trip across the pacific now that we're going with AC instead.

Request an "Original Routing Credit" (ORC) with the Frequent Flyer Service Centre and be clear that it was also eligible for DSC from a TravelPass.

They handle these scenarios where there has been involuntary re-routing including on other carriers etc. You can claim any points and SC's owed per the itinerary you intended on travelling. Make sure you keep any boarding passes etc incase you're asked to supply them.

 

[Cognac]

Request an "Original Routing Credit" (ORC) with the Frequent Flyer Service Centre and be clear that it was also eligible for DSC from a TravelPass.

They handle these scenarios where there has been involuntary re-routing including on other carriers etc. You can claim any points and SC's owed per the itinerary you intended on travelling. Make sure you keep any boarding passes etc incase you're asked to supply them.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[Daver6]

Just the security line after immigration at SYD on Thursday around 7:30am took a little over 40 minutes.

Made even worse by the fact they refused to let APEC card holders use the crew lane

 

[pippen_2k]

When booking a flight with Qantas, how do you get the search results to display earlier flights ? every flight I'm looking at to Canberra - Los Angeles later this year has a under 90 min transfer to International leg.

 

[muppet]

When booking a flight with Qantas, how do you get the search results to display earlier flights ? every flight I'm looking at to Canberra - Los Angeles later this year has a under 90 min transfer to International leg.

I think the only options are multi-city booking or a travel agent

 

[Quickstatus]

If this is what they have to offer a WP by means of service

WP really the new NB

Remember, loyalty is only one way - the customer's loyalty to the airline. Not the other way round. Benefits accruing from "loyalty" don't include "service" (other than that specified in the T&C). There is nothing in the FF T&C that specifies the level of "service" to particular Tiers.

Anything that the airline does for the "loyal" customer outside of the T&C is "gratis" - the airline can "giveth" and the airline can "taketh" away.

Maybe someone can start a thread in the relevant FF thread: " Frequent benefits/service not attributable to class of travel and un-enumerated in the FF T&C""

 

[offshore171]

There is no situation where QF won't connect bags between two QF flights, regardless of how they're booked.

If layover >24H ?

 

[DC3]

I’ve got my flight to LA next week and am stressing out now as I’m reading and hearing that one hour transit won’t be enough time?

That connection won’t be happening. Unless, SYD-LAX departs late. 50:50 with checked bags making it.

 

[JohnK]

When booking a flight with Qantas, how do you get the search results to display earlier flights ? every flight I'm looking at to Canberra - Los Angeles later this year has a under 90 min transfer to International leg.

As mentioned multi-city will be the only way to do it online.

Your other option if you want to stuff around a little is book what's offered early in the day and call Qantas before midnight and ask them to change flights or cancel without penalty.

 

[harvyk]

When booking a flight with Qantas, how do you get the search results to display earlier flights ? every flight I'm looking at to Canberra - Los Angeles later this year has a under 90 min transfer to International leg.

Don't fly via SYD is always an option.
I'm CBR based but I'll fly out of SYD / MEL or BNE as my international gateway depending on price and schedule.

BNE can be a pain as separate terminals, but MEL is very easy. Feels a little funny flying CBR-MEL-LAX to fly almost over my house on the MEL to LAX legs, but in terms of a terminal transfer it couldn't be easier.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

When booking a flight with Qantas, how do you get the search results to display earlier flights ? every flight I'm looking at to Canberra - Los Angeles later this year has a under 90 min transfer to International leg.

Or do an elcheapo separate booking for the night before.
Not ideal, but its the best (2nd) way.

 

[JohnK]

Or do an elcheapo separate booking for the night before.
Not ideal, but its the best (2nd) way.

Note that most times with multi city bookings the flight the night before is the same price as the flight the morning.

And if you're booking an award the number of points to fly the night before is the same as flying next morning as long as transit is under 24 hours.

 

[serfty]

Note that most times with multi city bookings the flight the night before is the same price as the flight the morning.

As long as the schedule arival time of the flight the night before arrives within 24 hours of the international connecting flight's scheduled departure time that works.

 

[justinbrett]

Don't fly via SYD is always an option.
I'm CBR based but I'll fly out of SYD / MEL or BNE as my international gateway depending on price and schedule.

BNE can be a pain as separate terminals, but MEL is very easy. Feels a little funny flying CBR-MEL-LAX to fly almost over my house on the MEL to LAX legs, but in terms of a terminal transfer it couldn't be easier.

The flip side is there’s just far more flights going out of SYD, so if you do miss your connection (which can still happen in MEL, and BNE is really no better than SYD), there may be nothing else for 24h in MEL/BNE.

 

[Cognac]

Request an "Original Routing Credit" (ORC) with the Frequent Flyer Service Centre and be clear that it was also eligible for DSC from a TravelPass.

They handle these scenarios where there has been involuntary re-routing including on other carriers etc. You can claim any points and SC's owed per the itinerary you intended on travelling. Make sure you keep any boarding passes etc incase you're asked to supply them.

Now that the trip is completed I've put in the ORC request. I'll let you know the outcome.

 

[DC3]

So, long story short, if you're flying through Sydney with Qantas onto an international connection, get in the day before if you can.

Most unfortunate way to start the trip.

Some do this anyway, and overnight at Rydges (and enjoy the Lounge before the flight). Much more relaxing that way.

 

[Cognac]

Most unfortunate way to start the trip.

Some do this anyway, and overnight at Rydges (and enjoy the Lounge before the flight). Much more relaxing that way.

Yeah, this is the conclusion that we've come to as well after that experience. Some lessons are learned the hard way though, and I guess that extra 24 hours might be possible for everyone trying to get away on a limited amount of available leave.

On the plus side, our trip home was extremely uneventful. Upgraded to J for the Vancouver-Sydney flight, got to enjoy it this time around. The only downside was waiting over an hour and half in Perth for our bags to finally be unloaded at the end of the whole thing.