Late for check-in by that much....

[JohnK]

Is it possible to be lucky and unlucky at the same time?

I should have been on the 6:11pm train to BNE airport but had way too many things to finalise in my apartment before the big holiday and was not going to make it so planned to get on the 6:31pm train. Got down to the train station with 5 minutes to spare but the gates in the subway were closed so I had to find my way back out to Ann St and then back in to Central Station. Carrying 3 bags up and down stairs and I almost had a heart attack. I could not breathe so stopped for around 30 seconds to get my breath back. Anyway ran again and missed the train by about 5 seconds.

Finally got on the 6:52pm train and did not get to check-in until 7:19pm (4 minutes late) and they could not check me in with luggage. I had already checked on online.

Anyway went to ticketing and they put me on the next flight (less $44 change fee. ) and I was allocated 23J :shock: with seq# 220. Had to rush to make check in for that flight also.

Overall I think this is a great result (I am sure I will get over the $44) and well done to Qantas for accommodating me on the next flight on an O class ticket....

 

[albatross710]

Cheers to Qantas.....hope th rest of your holiday goes well.

Don't risk too many late check-ins -always best to keep them up your sleeve for when you really need them.

 

[JohnK]

Thanks for the well wishes.

Don't risk too many late check-ins -always best to keep them up your sleeve for when you really need them.

My intention is not to miss any flights but I was extremely busy and I am trialling a new initiative where I do not spend too much time in a Qantas Lounge to try and limit the intake of alcohol on a Friday/Sunday night.

 

[NM]

Overall I think this is a great result (I am sure I will get over the $44) and well done to Qantas for accommodating me on the next flight on an O class ticket....

Perhaps in hind sight (such a wonderful thing), the $44 could have been better invested in a taxi at 6:30pm. Less stress, less puffing, and depart on time.

 

[munitalP]

Glad you made it jk..

Mr!

 

[NYCguy]

Perhaps in hind sight (such a wonderful thing), the $44 could have been better invested in a taxi at 6:30pm. Less stress, less puffing, and depart on time.

Sage advice...

 

[QF WP]

Have to agree with NM. With 3 bags, schlepping them from the taxi dop off is 300 metres and an escalator closer than the Airtrain.

 

[Ms Lucy]

Thanks for the well wishes.


My intention is not to miss any flights but I was extremely busy and I am trialling a new initiative where I do not spend too much time in a Qantas Lounge to try and limit the intake of alcohol on a Friday/Sunday night.

.... but after all that you were probably in need of a good drink! (Bet you were glad to finally sit in that seat onboard!)

Have a wonderful trip. (Dare we ask where you're off to and will we get a trip report?)

 

[Groundfeeder]

am trialling a new initiative where I do not spend too much time in a Qantas Lounge to try and limit the intake of alcohol on a Friday/Sunday night.

Now now John, what would happen to the QP if we all did this??

Best to leave those pledges for January 1.

 

[Ewing]

I'm surprised that they didn't just move you to the next flight at check-in (despite what the rules say).

I'm not a WP, but I've been in similar situations on an O/Q fare and have been prepared to pay another fare, but have simply been moved to the next flight no questions asked and no change fees.

Although there was a situation where they moved the departure time forward 10 mins without notifying me, and the check-in dragon refused to check me in (I was at the airport 35 minutes prior to my original departure time and had carry-on only). Went through security, into the QP and asked if I can still check in for QF'x' - the answer was "of course".

In any case, your situation could have ended up worse so glad to hear that you got it sorted anyway.

 

[JohnK]

Perhaps in hind sight (such a wonderful thing), the $44 could have been better invested in a taxi at 6:30pm. Less stress, less puffing, and depart on time.

Hindisight is a wonderful thing. I had thought about lugging my luggage back out of Central Station, after missing the train, and getting a taxi but I was just hoping that things would sort themselves out and somehow my flight would be delayed. Where are the delays when you need them.

Have a wonderful trip. (Dare we ask where you're off to and will we get a trip report?)

Unfortunately no excitement. I was just coming back to SYD on my weekly commute. I am heading off to Greece in 2 days but not likely to miss that flight and more than likely no trip report. Can't compete with the great trip reports provided by Anat0l, drron, Alanslegal, simongr, QF009, Lindsay Wilson, skyring etc.

I'm surprised that they didn't just move you to the next flight at check-in (despite what the rules say).

From my impression at the service desk I was going to be put on to the next flight if I went to ticketing but the lady at ticketing said there would be a change fee involved and I was not going to argue considering it was my fault I missed check-in and was on an inflexible ticket.

The silly thing is most times I get to the airport early with plenty of time to spare but just misjudged the time I needed to pack and clean my apartment yesterday afternoon. Also I was not aware the gates to the platforms from the subway were closed at 6pm and had to spend another 5-6 minutes getting there the long way. I could have gone a different way and I would have made check-in for the flight and then my flight would have been by delayed by an hour.

I did not have things go my way yesterday but I am lucky I was able to make it to SYD. I could have missed the last flight of the night. Some days destiny can not be changed....

 

[Evan]

I hate running for flights. But glad you made it in the end. Always good if there is another flight departing soon after. Being stuck in a city another 24hrs unplanned is not so good !

 

[anat0l]

Perhaps in hind sight (such a wonderful thing), the $44 could have been better invested in a taxi at 6:30pm. Less stress, less puffing, and depart on time.

Perhaps, but...

• It'd probably cost you more than $44 to get from the city to the airport; yes the marginal difference is probably worth it, but the difference should be marginal.
• JohnK was leaving in semi-peak hour. Either taxis would be in heavy demand at the ranks, or it would take more than 10 minutes for a taxi to arrive on call. And then there's the issue of the traffic - unpredictable as it is.

Then again, I do harbour a slight distaste towards taxis mainly due to the exorbitance in using them. They have their uses, but only when the economics stack up, the time is tight and/or someone else is paying for it.

Kudos to QF for letting you get on the next flight by changing your existing ticket. $44 with no change fee = good! In other cases, it'd probably be a full walk-up fare.

Have a great trip.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Ewing

Although there was a situation where they moved the departure time forward 10 mins without notifying me, and the check-in dragon refused to check me in (I was at the airport 35 minutes prior to my original departure time and had carry-on only). Went through security, into the QP and asked if I can still check in for QF'x' - the answer was "of course".

Sounds like QF at BNE Airport!

Nevertheless at 25 mins prior to departure with carry-on luggage only you are still allowed to check-in until 15 minutes before departure. The check-in person just needs to override the checkin prompt "acceptance at gate only" and force accept you onto the flight.

Not 100% sure if all checkin agents have the ability to do this but at the very least they could tell you they can't physically do it themselves and instead refer you to either the City Flyer Desk or Qantas Club as you found out.

Only problem if checking in between 15 and 30 minutes prior to departure is you could get stuck at security and not be checked in by the 15 minute cut-off. How many times have we all been rushing through security only to be pulled up for the random EDT test?

Those of you who cut it fine - always try and get your boarding pass before security unless queues are so long it ain't viable. Alternatively do what they do in BNE - know which counter they do the call forwards from when they are about to close checkin, and just make a beeline for that counter.

PS. Don't whatever you do get in the wrong queue. I made the mistake of getting the boarding pass from the kiosk and joining the online bag drop queue when a troll doing the queue combing snapped that I was in the wrong queue so by the time I was in the correct queue it was getting dangerously close to bag close off time and as it happened my flight was called forward to counter (18???). Made a mental note then and there to only ever take carry on luggage ex BNE!

 

[JohnK]

Those of you who cut it fine - always try and get your boarding pass before security unless queues are so long it ain't viable. Alternatively do what they do in BNE - know which counter they do the call forwards from when they are about to close checkin, and just make a beeline for that counter.

Counter 20, most times, at BNE....

 

[serfty]

One of the many benefits of carry on only is that you don't have to go through this check-in stuff very much at all.

Do note that with Qantas Domestic Jet services, a passenger is entitled to 2 x 7 kg of carry on luggage.