Check-in to QF9 at SYD?

[BD1959]

It's not, you're boarding an international flight outside the migration zone.

We can argue semantics all day, but I'll agree to "it's an international flight for domestic travel" ...

Regards,

BD

 

[justinbrett]

We can argue semantics all day, but I'll agree to "it's an international flight for domestic travel" ...

Regards,

BD

You may be travelling domestically but the rest of the passengers aren't, hence the increased requirement for documentation to let you back in the country without a passport.

 

[Cognac]

We can argue semantics all day, but I'll agree to "it's an international flight for domestic travel" ...

Regards,

BD

QFi and international boarding process requirements don't particularly care about your semantics.

Qantas and immigration are actually making it easier by offering that sticker for customers on the domestic-only leg, but it would be more hassle than it's worth to run the domestic passengers on one system and the international passengers on another. Everyone checks in through the international process. That way no one gets missed and nothing falls through the cracks. Qantas then does a little extra work in order to provide you a short cut to get out the door quicker at the other end.

 

[justinbrett]

Not to mention that none of this is new, I used to do it on Ansett

 

[OZDUCK]

Not to mention that none of this is new, I used to do it on Ansett

Very much not new. I used to stand in the International arrivals hall at Perth Airport in 1974 checking that 'domestic passengers' disembarking from QF7 (I think) had not purchased any Duty Free goods on the flight. If they had been sold some by the crew, it happened reasonably frequently, they would be required to pay Duty/Sales Tax.

 

[justinbrett]

Very much not new. I used to stand in the International arrivals hall at Perth Airport in 1974 checking that 'domestic passengers' disembarking from QF7 (I think) had not purchased any Duty Free goods on the flight. If they had been sold some by the crew, it happened reasonably frequently, they would be required to pay Duty/Sales Tax.

SYD-PER-MRU-JNB?

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

For Chrismars, the dom pax on an int flight process also lets you try the QFi lounges for a very cheap J fare.
Imagine being able to see the MEL QFi J lounge, granted not as swish as the QFi F lounge but still quite ok.
SYD QFi J lounge suite good too, as is the SYD QFi F lounge.

 

[justinbrett]

For Chrismars, the dom pax on an int flight process also lets you try the QFi lounges for a very cheap J fare.
Imagine being able to see the MEL QFi J lounge, granted not as swish as the QFi F lounge but still quite ok.
SYD QFi J lounge suite good too, as is the SYD QFi F lounge.

MEL T2 J lounge IMO is worse than the T3 J lounge.

But SYD T1 J lounge is marginally better than the T3 J lounge (both need renovations).

F lounges are where it's at (though haven't been to the MEL one yet, going next weekend).

 

[RealtimeY]

I'll also be checking out MEL F lounge for the first time. Heading to PER, just happened to find a J award seat on QF9, so booked that the moment I saw it. Otherwise, I've got no plans to travel overseas with QF.

 

[OZDUCK]

SYD-PER-MRU-JNB?

It was a QF flight LHR-Bombay (as Mumbai called then) Per - Syd. I just had a look and it was QF8/7 as per the ad part way down the page on the link below. The "fastest way" to Australia departing LHR on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. No daily flights back then.

How Qantas Boeing 747 Aircraft Transformed Flying To Australia

How the Boeing 747 transformed flying to Australia reducing journey times and enabling Australia to be reached with just one stop en route.

londonairtravel.com

 

[justinbrett]

It was a QF flight LHR-Bombay (as Mumbai called then) Per - Syd. I just had a look and it was QF8/7 as per the ad part way down the page on the link below. The "fastest way" to Australia departing LHR on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. No daily flights back then.

How Qantas Boeing 747 Aircraft Transformed Flying To Australia

How the Boeing 747 transformed flying to Australia reducing journey times and enabling Australia to be reached with just one stop en route.

londonairtravel.com

Right, in the late 60s it was the route I described.

 

[Rangalad]

You may be travelling domestically but the rest of the passengers aren't, hence the increased requirement for documentation to let you back in the country without a passport.

Slightly O/T.
Travelled SYD/BNE on QFI. Arriving in BNE all checked luggage was lined up against the carousel. We are instructed not to touch our bags. Out came the sniffer dogs. A couple of very worried passengers….

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I'll also be checking out MEL F lounge for the first time. Heading to PER, just happened to find a J award seat on QF9, so booked that the moment I saw it. Otherwise, I've got no plans to travel overseas with QF.

Just hope they don't swap you to a purely dom 737.
I did the J and F lounge "tours" while a QF FF flying EK to AKL, pre covid.
Of course the MEL QFi F lounge was the best, no real runway views, but at least with apron views, and also natural light.
One thing I liked was the no touch doors going to the loos, from the lounge, they are closed, but as you approach, they automatically open to you by sensors!
+++.
The J lounge is the basement one, like a dungeon!
These 2 are worth a visit, even if just once in your life.
Both of the QFi J and F louges, are under gate 10 or thereabouts, ie, far from gate 1/2 where the 737s to close by QFi destos are.
F lounge is around gate 10/11/12, go up the escalators.
You will then have to come down again to board your QFi flight, as there is no access to the plane directly from the lounge, so you have to board with the masses, ... hopefully priority boarding will be enforced.

 

[sudoer]

Just hope they don't swap you to a purely dom 737

Somehow I don't think Qantas will be operating QF9 with a 737 anytime soon.

One thing I liked was the no touch doors going to the loos, from the lounge, they are closed, but as you approach, they automatically open to you by sensors!

Wow, those sound like some high technology doors!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

No, not like that would operate a 737 on long route, Au - UK, I mean, for any reason that they put the pax onto a dom flight, for what ever reason.
Re: those doors in the QFi F lounge going to the loos, I would have thought it was well known by those who have use the lounge, why no one has mentioned it before.
Or maybe I have had too much of the champers that morning, definitely, I didn't touch the doors, and definitely no one opened them for me, so it must (might have been) be either my dreamy mind at that time, or magic or sensors.
As I approached, it magically opened, and it opened inwards too at that, ...
This is not the doors to the lounge itself, but to the loos.

 

[TeaKozy]

You will then have to come down again to board your QFi flight, as there is no access to the plane directly from the lounge, so you have to board with the masses, ... hopefully priority boarding will be enforced.

I don’t recall that always being the case - I’ve on several occasions been taken down the elevator to board rather than trekked back down via the stairs (definitely on a 380 flight to Singapore pre-Covid).

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Elevators, aye.
I have always come down from the F lounge earlier than needed, on my 2 (I think it was 2 F, maybe it was 3 (getting forgetful), and many J, but J lounge was of course, in basement) occasions... yes, those were the days... early, and stood in Zone A for that EK flight.
So always used the escalators, to come down and show I am top pooch.
Did the EK lounge too, this was ooh, a long time ago now, pre covid.
So, yes, there is the elevators, around that netting at gate 10, I never understood the meaning of that netting thing.
What I meant by direct access, is what used to happen with the EK lounge at BNE, where you could go from the lounge, direct to the F zone of the plane, without having to trek down again.
Have done the BNE int terminal self tour, but never did the EK lounge there.

 

[justinbrett]

I will be travelling SYD-MEL-PER in June, with MEL-PER on QF9. Would the domestic check-in counters at SYD be able to check me in for QF9 (including the D sticker)?

Or would I have to get that boarding pass at MEL? In that case, what time would check-in for that flight start? I will most likely be travelling HLO.

Can confirm definitively you can check in at SYD with no further admin in MEL. My only advice is allow extra time as there was a fairly large queue at international connections and only two staff on duty. Interestingly I could check in online (and did so as I was getting nervous the queue was so slow) and the boarding pass for QF9 had an express path logo on it - but no D. Got the real D sticker on the paper boarding pass at about T-35.

On arrival in Melbourne I went straight to security and when you get to immigration there was a special lane for domestic travellers to the right (don’t try and go through the smart gates).

All up was about 25 minutes from touch down to sitting in the Flounge (where I’m currently the only passenger)

 

[RealtimeY]

Thanks for the update! Great to hear it all went smoothly

 

[AIRwin]

All up was about 25 minutes from touch down to sitting in the Flounge (where I’m currently the only passenger)

How's your First in MEL First?