Have you used a "Bus Gate" in Australia?

[Melburnian1]

Several years ago I was departing from MEL on a foggy morning and was transferred by bus to my aircraft as there were (at the time) insufficient aerobridges available for all the planes.

In the intervening years, more gates (with aerobridges) have been added but the number of international flights has also increased.

I was also just reading some comments by a traveller on another website where he indicated on a QF PEK - SYD A333, he had been transferred by bus to the terminal upon arriving in SYD. This was quite a recent flight, although he did not disclose the exact date.

How often and in what circumstances have you had to transfer to or from an international flight while in Australia by bus between the terminal and the aircraft?

Has this been because of fog, other relatively rare weather condition(s) or for some other reason?

Did it add any time to your journey or was it handled in a timely and efficient manner? Which airline and what cities (or towns) were you travelling between?

Were you informed at checkin, or did it occur later because (for example) fog had not lifted as early as everyone including the airline thought it would, or were you summarily informed either in the general boarding area or in the lounge?

How well did the airline handle wheelchair and older passengers?

 

[Happy Trails]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

I've had the bus on two of six QF23 (SYD-BKK) departures this year.
No exceptional circumstances that I was aware of and it wasn't made known until we got to the gate.
Don't recall it ever happening on arrival.

 

[OZDUCK]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

Back in the mid 1970's I was on night shift (Customs) at Perth Airport when a QF B747 on its way to London hit a patch of dense fog a and did an abort - blowing 6 or 8 tyre plugs in the process. I remember that was also the pilots first flight as "Captain".

It was unable to move off the runway and there were no "airport" buses so the local public bus service (MTT as they were then called) were hired to transport the pax from the end of the runway back to the Terminal. In those distant days the Customs Hall had a baggage belt which was basically open to the outside with a veranda over it. One of the buses managed to hit the extended roof line as no-one had ever driven a bus under it before. Giving the already somewhat shaken passengers some more fun.

 

[Kefci2000]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

Happens all the time at Heathrow, but not had it here

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

Happens all the time at Heathrow, but not had it here

Thank you Kefci2000, but if I was an HSC/VCE/university examiner I might 'fail' you since I asked only for Australian airport experiences with international flights. However there are no 'fails' on AFF except reports of such occurrences with aircraft!

 

[Kefci2000]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

Full line of thread does not show up on mobile version, so was just guessing from thread, sounded like it was Perth related LOL.
Have been failed for less ðŸ

 

[harvyk]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

Once down in MEL, it was pretty cool boarding a 747 via stairs, gave you an appreciation of its size.

 

[flyingfan]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

The only international flight I recall involving a tarmac transfer in Australia was MH KUL-MEL, beginning July 2016. I don't know the reason - the pilot didn't say anything about gate congestion or fog and I can't say I noticed either. We weren't told until we were coming off the runway after landing I think. I didn't notice wheelchair passengers. It does add a delay but it wasn't terrible - as the doors of the aircraft were being opened, all the buses were already lined up ready to move into position.

Overall, assuming we couldn't get a gate, it was handled reasonably well. I can think of other such bus transfers overseas where there were long waits for the buses to come, followed by a long process of people filing in, followed by schlepping around the airport. Must say these bus transfers are a bit of an equaliser - even first class uber-WPs had to squeeze in with the unwashed masses (to some extent )

Juxtaposed with the much more frequent uses of the bus on domestic flights, I doubt you could be told at check in. I suspect the causes leading up to using the bus are such that the crew won't know until close to landing.

 

[Melburnian1]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

Must say these bus transfers are a bit of an equaliser - even first class uber-WPs had to squeeze in with the unwashed masses (to some extent )

While we may be in heated agreement that it is impractical and would only cause further delay, I have never observed a 'better appointed' or even a separate bus being provided for first, business or PE class passengers. Clearly they should have a reclining seat road coach with video and audio, as well as carpet not hard flooring - at the very least. Do such passengers become ill from being forced to strap hang on a mere bus with the plebs?

 

[NZflygirl]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

Syd-Akl on QF this year, found out at gate. I didn't notice any wheelchair or disabled pax but I took the last bus. No weather issues. I just presumed it was due to the new building process and not enough proper gates. I don't take much notice of delays unless it's an hr or more importantly if we arrive late. Planes seem to make up time in the air a lot.

 

[Himeno]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

I don't recall ever having a terminal-aircraft bus transfer in Australia before. A number of "walk across tarmac" in CBR and MEL.
About 50% of my non QF flights at LHR are bused. Have been bused at DOH and those silly things at IAD. Most regional jet flights at DCA are bused. Can't think of anything else.

I always hate waiting for LHR to announce the gate, only to see it's T5 A4 or A10.

Most of the buses I've had at airports have been between terminals.

 

[DaveB]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

Likely a 737 thing dramatically increasing the odds or just picking on NZ with daughter two from two this year on VA144 SYD-AKL.

 

[jsd]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

Happens quite frequently during busy mornings at MEL. Airport operations will decide according to aircraft type. Widebodies get the gates and narrows get bussed.

Of course back in the day I used to hate it and we did everything in our power to get a gate at the terminal allocated. Depended entirely on who the Duty Manager was a MEL and what their mood was like.

 

[Hvr]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

I've had the bus on two of six QF23 (SYD-BKK) departures this year.
No exceptional circumstances that I was aware of and it wasn't made known until we got to the gate.
Don't recall it ever happening on arrival.

I've had one of these on the same flight.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

While we may be in heated agreement that it is impractical and would only cause further delay, I have never observed a 'better appointed' or even a separate bus being provided for first, business or PE class passengers. Clearly they should have a reclining seat road coach with video and audio, as well as carpet not hard flooring - at the very least. Do such passengers become ill from being forced to strap hang on a mere bus with the plebs?

In Australia not. But overseas separate buses for premium are common. And often better appointed than those in the main cabin. Delay is maybe 30 seconds for those coming behind.

 

[NZflygirl]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

Likely a 737 thing dramatically increasing the odds or just picking on NZ with daughter two from two this year on VA144 SYD-AKL.

I notice one of the NZ A320s is ALWAYS remotely parked at SYD and I think I've seen VA parked up close to it once or twice. I figured it was a grudge thing! But then I flew QF and ended up on a bus anyway!

 

[Altair]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

IME quite common at SYD when flying in the morning on any international single aisle plan.
Flying back in the early evening with fewer international flights means more gates available so no bus gates then.
Years past when I flew them across the Tasman to/from SYD, LA A340 flights 2/3 would be a bus gate as well.
Expanding on this topic AIAL, AKL owners, think bussing is more than acceptable and stated that it is used at many premium international airports. Fine, it is just that AKL has too few buses and also they do not have a good set-up airside for bus operations, yet they are happy to have more international services at arriving/departing around the same time.:evil:

 

[whughes3]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

The only international flight I recall involving a tarmac transfer in Australia was MH KUL-MEL, beginning July 2016. I don't know the reason - the pilot didn't say anything about gate congestion or fog and I can't say I noticed either. We weren't told until we were coming off the runway after landing I think. I didn't notice wheelchair passengers. It does add a delay but it wasn't terrible - as the doors of the aircraft were being opened, all the buses were already lined up ready to move into position.

Overall, assuming we couldn't get a gate, it was handled reasonably well. I can think of other such bus transfers overseas where there were long waits for the buses to come, followed by a long process of people filing in, followed by schlepping around the airport. Must say these bus transfers are a bit of an equaliser - even first class uber-WPs had to squeeze in with the unwashed masses (to some extent )

Juxtaposed with the much more frequent uses of the bus on domestic flights, I doubt you could be told at check in. I suspect the causes leading up to using the bus are such that the crew won't know until close to landing.

I had a similar experience with MH149 KUL-MEL a couple of weeks ago. No obvious reason.

 

[xen0n33]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

Experienced this at Sydney just last month (end of October) arriving on SQ251 from SIN (333), parked quite some distance from the terminal. There weren't any announcements so I was quite surprised to find myself emerging into the daylight and being confronted with stairs.

Bus trip to the terminal afforded a pretty good view of the lineup at the domestic terminals across the way as well as a closeup of a landing on the adjacent runway. Assuming it was down to a shortage of gates as weather certainly wasn't a factor.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Re: Have you been transferred to or from an international flight in Oz by bus?

It's been a while since I was bussed, but the last time was SIN-SYD, on a BA 744. It's looking like it might be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, walking down the steps of a 744.