Have you used a "Bus Gate" in Australia?

[bjm76]

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

I have had this a few times - most recently was QF127 from SYD to HKG on a non-refurbed B744. The date was 4 October 2016. I thought it was strange as the gate advised on checkin was 23C (from memory) - but no mention at checkin of bus to the plane. When it was time to board, we went in search of the gate and then downstairs to a staging area to board. Premium passengers were processed first and seemed to get on the first bus to the plane, followed by everyone else. Was quite a long drive to the aircraft, parked quite a way away. Was a bright sunny day so weather not a factor. Agree with others here that you do appreciate the size of a B744 when you board via the stairs. We left about 30 minutes late I think which isn't unusual on QF flights to Asia from my experience, but boarding seemed quite orderly and didn't seem to be any slower than normal.

Other time was in 2012 or 2013 and was a CX flight from HKG to MNL. Evening flight on a B744, absolutely packed flight. Was a clear evening, but was also novel being bussed from the terminal to the tarmac.

Always weird to me when 2 hour flights in Asia use a B744 (or any other large twin aisle planes seeing as B744s aren't used by many Asian airlines anymore - if any?).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

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

seeing as B744s aren't used by many Asian airlines anymore - if any?

still OZ, TG, CI, CA, KE.

 

[dairyfloss]

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

I've had it happen a number of times out of SYD, bound for SIN on QF81, in the last 12-18 months. Saturday morning departures. All A333s. Feels like it is adding significant time to the boarding process, yet I don't really recall getting in noticeably late on any occasion. Thankfully not happened in the reverse, to me.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Awesom Andy]

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

Feels like it is adding significant time to the boarding process, yet I don't really recall getting in noticeably late on any occasion.

It does take a little while longer to turn around the plane. In the occasions when I took the 3K flights out of HKG, if it's a full flight, then they can never turn the plane around and depart on time as they used to use the bus gates, and only 1 set of stairs. Although I think the process if faster if a plane is closer to the terminal, where pax can walk instead of being bussed, and both the front and rear are used for boarding/de-boarding.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

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

I seem to recall a VA out of SYD being bussed out to a 777, but maybe I'm confusing a dom to int airside tnf. I honestly can't remember.

Every few weeks I have to walk to an int flight, parked on the side of a runaway ... rain, hail or shine (well dark, as it's pre-dawn). I long for a bus when it's raining ... does that count?

 

[Quickstatus]

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

QF94 splash and dash in SYD due to fog in MEL.
Stopped at remote stand for the Splash bit.
CSM noted some SYD bound pax on manifest. Liaised with Captain who agreed that there was time of offload SYD pax. Bus came. Got off. Too easy. Checked bags went via MEL hand delivered to my house next day.

Hoping for a rerun in January.

I would really like a stairs boarding on the A380. Have done it in the 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, A330.

 

[ajd]

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

SYD-WLG, QF, 737, last year. Presumably lack of gates, I don't recall any adverse weather or whatever.

More recently, no bus and not in Oz, but I did get to take the stairs down from a SQ B777 CBR-WLG, that was fun

 

[Himeno]

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

SYD-WLG, QF, 737, last year. Presumably lack of gates, I don't recall any adverse weather or whatever.

More recently, no bus and not in Oz, but I did get to take the stairs down from a SQ B777 CBR-WLG, that was fun

parents are on CBR-SIN the day after I get home from this trip.

My last bus trips were out to a CR2 (AA DCA-DTW) and some 787s (QR DOH-OSL, BA LHR-ICN)

 

[Deleted member 29185]

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

I did get to take the stairs down from a SQ B777 CBR-WLG, that was fun

I work with large turbines from time to time, but it still impresses me the size of those things dangling off a couple of wings!

 

[serfty]

Re: Have you used a "Bus Gate" in Australia?

A couple of times on arrival into SYD International around the 2000 Olympics.

 

[bertflyer]

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

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

All three of my SYD to BKK flights have been via bus gate

 

[seanpodge]

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

Never in Australia, but i barely fly Dom/narrowbodys in Australia either, so I suspect my chances of a bus ride are slim to start with. Seem to cop the bus so often in China and Europe. Starting to think that the aero bridges are just for show at some airports.

 

[JohnK]

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

I recall this happened to me in SYD a few years but can't recall the specific flight.

 

[im.daniel]

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

Just last weekend to Noumea (QF 91)!

 

[bismarck]

Re: Have you used a "Bus Gate" in Australia?

Earlier this week, QF142 AKL-SYD