Can't leave Melbourne Airport During transit??? [DOH-MEL-ADL vv]

[oz_mark]

Fair enough!!, But surely if HLO, you just clear immi in MEL?

You probably could, but just don't expect to be able to return to the aircraft.

 

[AirbusA350]

I feel like the ‘BUT’ makes the entire dot point redundant.

Gotta say, this would have to be the most absurd arrangement and it really shouldn’t be permitted just to avoid capacity limits on major routes. If QR want extra flights via a tag flight to a non-major destination - it should have to be a usable tag flight. I feel sorry for those thinking the stopover would be a normal one. Although I haven’t booked myself so maybe it is clearly spelled out.

The “BUT” was essentially more to point out the irony and idiocy of the whole situation really. Also it is to help set expectations for anybody that might be wishing to do this flight thinking “they’ll be ok with the transit as MEL is great for lounges”!

I’m sure QR would love to sell tickets on the MEL-ADL-MEL shuttle. But I suspect it’s Australian rules that prevent them from doing so. They’re permitted to sell tickets on their ADL-AKL-ADL shuttle.

Also I suspect Qantas would throw their toys out of the pram big time too. It is clear that QF’s influence (and broad monopoly of the Australian market) have contributed to the tight bilateral Air Services Agreement between Australia and Qatar in the first place. Their double standards is funny as they have no problem at all with another state-bankrolled Middle Eastern airline in the form of Emirates which shares all the same “ethical” values as any autocratic monarchy in that region! Hopefully, like AA did, one can hope QF will about turn on their views about QR and would veer towards them more, instead of EK, in the future given they’re in the same alliance also.

 

[AirbusA350]

To those mentioning they could just clear customs in MEL and leave, I suspect for an Australian citizen this wouldn’t be a problem. However even then, one would have to be travelling without checked baggage. I suppose even if one did have checked baggage, it would be offloaded anyway when airport staff notice the passenger’s no-show, however, it would still be a pain to then retrieve the baggage which would probably have to be through a missing bag report.
Also this would be tricky if one has a return sector or further sectors on the same booking, I suspect these may be auto-cancelled after skipping the leg. Finally I’m not sure of the specifics of Australian airports that much but I presume it wouldn’t be easy to get back into the international transit area of MEL if one doesn’t even have a boarding pass specifically for MEL-ADL itself.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Can't see why not if you have a valid Aus passport. Immigration doesn't check your incoming boarding pass (IME). Just ignore the person with the ADL sign and keep walking.

For pax continuing on to ADL…. I thought last time I left MEL you had to scan your boarding pass to be able to enter security and then passport control? If so, I don’t think the boarding pass would work? You would also then technically need a ‘D’ sticker as you’d be a domestic passenger. Not sure if passport control would process you otherwise.

 

[dajop]

For pax continuing on to ADL…. I thought last time I left MEL you had to scan your boarding pass to be able to enter security and then passport control?

No, when I went through two weeks ago, I was surprised to see the scanning machines had been removed and it was just (cursory) manual check. I guess it would be at the smartgate you would be stopped if the BP wasn't valid/

 

[Mwenenzi]

You would also then technically need a ‘D’ sticker as you’d be a domestic passenger. Not sure if passport control would process you otherwise.

Qatar do not the traffic rights to carry AU domestic passengers.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Qatar do not the traffic rights to carry AU domestic passengers.

Yes, that too! I can’t see passport control processing you as your passport won’t have been linked to depart MEL?

 

[Guvner]

“Passport control” don’t care about flights. They care about your eligibility to enter and exit a country.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

“Passport control” don’t care about flights. They care about your eligibility to enter and exit a country.

In this case there’s no eligibility to exit the country.

 

[Guvner]

But this is about entering the country in Melbourne. Unless I’ve completely misunderstood this thread.. “Can’t leave Melbourne Airport..”

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But this is about entering the country in Melbourne. Unless I’ve completely misunderstood this thread.. “Can’t leave Melbourne Airport..”

Two strands… one about leave the flight outright in MEL. The other about leaving, going to a hotel, and coming back to continue.

 

[BNEFlyer]

RE: Entering Australia at MEL, one should consider the other pax in this situation.

If someone no-showed for the MEL-ADL flight QR would spend time paging them, potentially send someone to look for them in the terminal, then have to go through the offload procedure, possibly recalculate the weight depending on how many pax failed to board and then if they miss their take-off slot there's an additional delay.

It might be easier for some people to enter Australia in MEL, but it would cause major headaches for QR and the other pax not just in MEL but also ADL.

 

[Warragul]

To those mentioning they could just clear customs in MEL and leave, I suspect for an Australian citizen this wouldn’t be a problem. However even then, one would have to be travelling without checked baggage. I suppose even if one did have checked baggage, it would be offloaded anyway when airport staff notice the passenger’s no-show, however, it would still be a pain to then retrieve the baggage which would probably have to be through a missing bag report.
Also this would be tricky if one has a return sector or further sectors on the same booking, I suspect these may be auto-cancelled after skipping the leg. Finally I’m not sure of the specifics of Australian airports that much but I presume it wouldn’t be easy to get back into the international transit area of MEL if one doesn’t even have a boarding pass specifically for MEL-ADL itself.

Correct as an Australian citizen you can clear CIQ where you wish from a strictly legal view, in this instance ABF will most likely try to talk you out of it citing the airline has requested you don't and there maybe issues when you try to take the flight to Adelaide (ie the airline won't take you). But if you insist on 'landing' then ABF have to process you. Highly likely that QR would be informed that a transit passenger has cleared, so they can make the appropriate "arrangements". In theory, you may state to ABF you don't have checked luggage , but actually do and have thrown away the receipt hence leaving an umatched bag on an aircraft. So the carrier needs to be aware of who has left the sterile area in this scenario to ensure any unmatched luggage is offloaded.

 

[muppet]

RE: Entering Australia at MEL, one should consider the other pax in this situation.

If someone no-showed for the MEL-ADL flight QR would spend time paging them, potentially send someone to look for them in the terminal, then have to go through the offload procedure, possibly recalculate the weight depending on how many pax failed to board and then if they miss their take-off slot there's an additional delay.

It might be easier for some people to enter Australia in MEL, but it would cause major headaches for QR and the other pax not just in MEL but also ADL.

To be honest, I can’t see how that is different to any other flight. Checked in passengers don’t board flights all the time, for a myriad of reasons and airlines have procedures that deal with it. I take the opposing view, that this excessive transit is in fact likely to result in more passengers failing to board than if it was a reasonable transit time.

 

[NoName]

I feel like this is something someone needs to try. Carry on only, enter Australia at MEL then try to depart the next morning. Also feel like it’s the kind of thing which would be good to highlight the stupidity of the situation.

 

[AirbusA350]

Tbh, it really isn’t a horrific experience by any stretch of imagination. Time actually passes quite quickly. If ADL is indeed where one needs to be and this was the flight they booked onto, either due to better fare or award availability etc, I wouldn’t be recommending anybody to try and “game” the Australian border and/or QR notwithstanding the likely inability or at least difficulty getting back into the airport/gate area.

There are abundant benches where one can lie down, I recommend taking a pillow off the plane (the white decorative one QR may be a good idea), in addition to perhaps things to watch etc. Honestly the time passed quite swiftly.

 

[dajop]

Tbh, it really isn’t a horrific experience by any stretch of imagination. Time actually passes quite quickly. If ADL is indeed where one needs to be and this was the flight they booked onto, either due to better fare or award availability etc, I wouldn’t be recommending anybody to try and “game” the Australian border and/or QR notwithstanding the likely inability or at least difficulty getting back into the airport/gate area.

When it comes down to it, someone may want to try entering Australia at MEL, and finishing there journey there if HLO (specifically if the book all the way to ADL to take advantage of cheaper fares, rather than just booking to MEL).

But for those who want to leave and try to come back to rejoin the flight, doesn't really make sense anyway. The main reason to do this would be to use a hotel. But flight lands at 11:35, so best case, assuming no problems with immigration, out of airport by 00:00 and into room at Parkroyal 10-15 mins later. For 05:35 departure that means being back at security by about 04:45 at the lastest. Leave hotel at 04:30. Seems a lot of effort for at most 4 hrs in bed.

 

[Pushka]

Tbh, it really isn’t a horrific experience by any stretch of imagination. Time actually passes quite quickly. If ADL is indeed where one needs to be and this was the flight they booked onto, either due to better fare or award availability etc, I wouldn’t be recommending anybody to try and “game” the Australian border and/or QR notwithstanding the likely inability or at least difficulty getting back into the airport/gate area.

There are abundant benches where one can lie down, I recommend taking a pillow off the plane (the white decorative one QR may be a good idea), in addition to perhaps things to watch etc. Honestly the time passed quite swiftly.

Seriously? After all that flying possibly from LHR etc, spending 6 hours in a dead airport with nowhere to go comfortably would be the end of me. I just hope people are advised clearly that this will happen.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Seriously? After all that flying possibly from LHR etc, spending 6 hours in a dead airport with nowhere to go comfortably would be the end of me. I just hope people are advised clearly that this will happen.

True… it would probably really hurt at the end of a journey. But I guess it’s not that uncommon… people transit 5 hours at LAX, or 4 hours in Hong Kong or Singapore. I did 7 hours at BKK between Thai flights when they retimed the Syd departures.

 

[Pushka]

True… it would probably really hurt at the end of a journey. But I guess it’s not that uncommon… people transit 5 hours at LAX, or 4 hours in Hong Kong or Singapore. I did 7 hours at BKK between Thai flights when they retimed the Syd departures.

Hong Kong or Singapore would be fine. They don't shut down. And clubs open. Don't know about LA.