Linking two flights

[baarg]

Hi all - I called Qantas to ask if I could link a domestic and international flight, both are with Qantas, they said yes. I booked the domestic flights and got the reference number, then called Qantas to link this with my international flight. They said they did this but I haven't received the itinerary. The agent had to put me on hold when I asked if I'd receive an updated itinerary, so that didn't inspire confidence. He then said that I'd receive one in the next 24hs. The 24hs have not passed but wanted to know what happens with luggage, etc and transit in Sydney (going from domestic to international on the bus, luggage, etc), I am just scared they stuffed up or perhaps I should not have linked them. Anyone with experience linking their flights who can help?

 

[justinbrett]

Hi all - I called Qantas to ask if I could link a domestic and international flight, both are with Qantas, they said yes. I booked the domestic flights and got the reference number, then called Qantas to link this with my international flight. They said they did this but I haven't received the itinerary. The agent had to put me on hold when I asked if I'd receive an updated itinerary, so that didn't inspire confidence. He then said that I'd receive one in the next 24hs. The 24hs have not passed but wanted to know what happens with luggage, etc and transit in Sydney (going from domestic to international on the bus, luggage, etc), I am just scared they stuffed up or perhaps I should not have linked them. Anyone with experience linking their flights who can help?

There's really no requirement to link the flights anyway - and when they do I don't think you get any notification, it's just an internal note in their system.

Qantas will through check and transfer bags on separate bookings if both are Qantas flights, so you've got nothing to worry about.

When you check in at (BNE? MEL? wherever...) show both bookings and ask to be checked through to your final destination. Assuming they give you your international boarding pass and check your bags through to the final destination, when you get to SYD you just go to gate 15, show them your BP and wait for the bus. Get on the bus, it drops you just before passport control, go through that and security, and then you're free to board the flight etc. You don't need to touch your bag in SYD.

 

[SYD]

Just to clarify you had two existing seperate bookings on QF?

”Linking” them is pretty straight forward but I wouldn’t expect a new “itinerary” since they’re already ticketed.

Eitherway, QF should check through your luggage QF Dom to QF Int on seperate ticket. But you won’t be protected if you Dom flight is late.

 

[baarg]

Yes, have two separate bookings. I thought that linking the flights would assist if the flight was late. Bummer. I have 24hs to cancel the domestic flight but now that they are linked I won't dare touching it. Ugh. I booked with reward seats and return Syd to Bne is business, I should read what are the terms and conditions. I know it's 5k or something like that to cancel. I hope all goes well.

 

[justinbrett]

Eitherway, QF should check through your luggage QF Dom to QF Int on seperate ticket. But you won’t be protected if you Dom flight is late.

Not completely true.

CoC 14.1

You will be entitled to a refund if we:
-cause you to miss a connecting Qantas flight on which you have a confirmed reservation

So at very least you'll get a refund. In practice, they'll rebook you.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Yes, have two separate bookings. I thought that linking the flights would assist if the flight was late. Bummer. I have 24hs to cancel the domestic flight but now that they are linked I won't dare touching it. Ugh. I booked with reward seats and return Syd to Bne is business, I should read what are the terms and conditions. I know it's 5k or something like that to cancel. I hope all goes well.

You cannot merge 2 separate reservations. "Linking" is just text in that someone may or may not read.
Linking does not give you protection if the first flight is late. Up to the good will of the agents
What are the flights. SYD-BNE and what?

 

[baarg]

Syd-scl-eze and back.

Post automatically merged: May 15, 2023

Not completely true.

CoC 14.1

You will be entitled to a refund if we:
-cause you to miss a connecting Qantas flight on which you have a confirmed reservation

So at very least you'll get a refund. In practice, they'll rebook you.

But if linking the flight is not a connection, then it doesn't apply as per other users' understanding. I am confused.

 

[justinbrett]

Syd-scl-eze and back.

Post automatically merged: May 15, 2023

But if linking the flight is not a connection, then it doesn't apply as per other users' understanding. I am confused.

No, they aren't reading the terms properly. The conditions of carriage don't require you to have a single booking. As long as both are QF bookings and QF operated flights, assuming you've met the minimum connection time, QF will look after you. Essentially QF can't blame you for missing your flight when it was QF's fault in the first place.

If it was any other combination (one of the bookings with LATAM, or even QF codeshare on the LATAM flight), there will be less flexibility. If you are on QF27 I wouldn't sweat it, providing you have allowed enough time (how long do you have?)

 

[baarg]

Plane arrives to syd 10.20am and leaves to scl at 12.35. On my return, it arrives to syd at 5.50pm and leaves to bne at 8.35pm. Last time, we took the 9.35pm flight to bne and the wait after such a long flight was just way too long. And yes, all qf. There's the klm and latam connections but those are in scl.

 

[Quickstatus]

@baarg

So your flights are BNE-SYD on one QF ticket and SYD-SCL-EZE on another QF ticket? The final sector SYD-BNE also on QF (part of the BNE-SYD ticket)??

If so then QF will reschedule you without penalty to you.

Your BNE-SYD flight does not leave a lot of time in case of delay to allow you to connect to the SCL flight. Also note there is only only QF flight a day to SCL

 

[love_the_life]

I am particularly risk averse and tend to fly the domestic leg before an international the day before just to be on the safe side (it's sad I know and not what a seasoned traveller would do). On the way home, I don't worry at all really.

 

[justinbrett]

Plane arrives to syd 10.20am and leaves to scl at 12.35. On my return, it arrives to syd at 5.50pm and leaves to bne at 8.35pm. Last time, we took the 9.35pm flight to bne and the wait after such a long flight was just way too long. And yes, all qf. There's the klm and latam connections but those are in scl.

Both meet minimum connection times. I wouldn't worry about the return, I>D especially are used to processing missed connections - and at 6pm international arrivals are dead so you should breeze through.

Outbound is a bit tight for my liking - it's doable, but if the flight is an hour late you're at real risk of missing the connection. I would have booked an hour earlier if I were you. If you get to BNE early you can ask if they can put you on the earlier flight. If there's any delay known before it leaves BNE, and there's still time to move you, they will probably do so.

 

[flyingfan]

(it's sad I know and not what a seasoned traveller would do)

I think some seasoned travellers do this too, so don't consider it sad at all. Especially if missing a flight/waiting until the next day or even longer is costly and disruptive. Being stuck somewhere stressing whether you'll make a connection isn't at all fun, I'd rather spend the time looking forward to the holiday that will be.

 

[baarg]

Makes sense, I can still change that booking as it's within the 24hs, i hope it wont disrupt anything in my other one. The reason why i booked it at that time leaving bne was because I thought that linking the flights would protect me in case something went wrong. For my past trip in March where the booking was all done together from bne (long story as to why i didnt do it from bne this time), the plane arrived to Sydney at 10.50am so thought it'd be safe. I will see to change it to an earlier flight to get to.sydenu earlier.
I looked into booking to a hotel the day before. I really considered this, but again, thought that linking would protect me and thus it'd be easier overall. Rydges is expensive and going out of the airport with a child and luggage, then come back, seemed a pain. I thought if I miss the flight the linking bit would solve this.

 

[justinbrett]

Makes sense, I can still change that booking as it's within the 24hs, i hope it wont disrupt anything in my other one. The reason why i booked it at that time leaving bne was because I thought that linking the flights would protect me in case something went wrong. For my past trip in March where the booking was all done together from bne (long story as to why i didnt do it from bne this time), the plane arrived to Sydney at 10.50am so thought it'd be safe. I will see to change it to an earlier flight to get to.sydenu earlier.
I looked into booking to a hotel the day before. I really considered this, but again, thought that linking would protect me and thus it'd be easier overall. Rydges is expensive and going out of the airport with a child and luggage, then come back, seemed a pain. I thought if I miss the flight the linking bit would solve this.

If you can change it, I'd book to arrive 3.5-4 hours early. Maybe 4 hours early just to be safe, which will be the 0625 departure out of Brisbane.

I'm not sure if you are a regular traveller to South America or this is your first time - I find due to the time difference it's not a bad idea to wake up early on your day of departure to get you in to the time zone.

 

[baarg]

Thanks @justinbrett and everyone else for your time and answers. I have flown regularly. That's where I am from, but never thought about waking up early. Although you have to be up pretty early to make it to the flight to syd.
I have to say, I flew Qantas in March and Latam August last year to.SA...Latam's overnight flight is better. Qf 28 particularly was very hard. We waited 5hs plus in scl and the flight was 14hs plus to syd, and the flight to bne 3hs later. It was horrible. Flight was very well priced for our next trip so booked it from syd but would think about Latam next time...via Qantas. Qantas onboard service is way better though. Only two airlines to choose from to go see family

 

[baarg]

I know it's an old post, but find it useful to provide updates (although months later).
I linked my flights (QF domestic reward seats from Bne to SYD purchased separately to my purchased QF international flights from Syd) and I had no issues at all with Qantas viewing the booking as one instead of separate ones. We could check in all our bags, get all the boarding tickets for all flights and use the shuttle in Syd as if I'd purchased the ticket from my place of origin, Bne, and not Syd. I am updating because there were some questions as to how the tickets would be treated, and JustinBrett was correct in assessing the policy. Disclaimer, this was in Oct/Nov so if Qantas changed their policy, this may not apply... also my flights were not cancelled, late or anything so unsure what would have happened in that case, but in Qantas' system it all looked together and was treated as such without dramas.

 

[M@rcoPolo]

I linked my flights (QF domestic reward seats from Bne to SYD purchased separately to my purchased QF international flights from Syd)

Was you Sydney to Santiago flight on QF metal / number or LATAM?

 

[baarg]

Qantas. Purchased the ticket through the Qantas website. Flights to Buenos Aires from Santiago were not Qantas (obviously as they don't fly to Argentina ).