Minimum Connecting time

[guy]

Does anyone know what the minimum connecting time between Sydney domestic and Sydney International is? This is between competing airlines, i.e I am frling into Sydney domestic on Tuesday 15 November on QF774 (economy) ETA 21:10 and departing Sydney International on MH142 (business class) ETD 22:20.

I have called both airlines and they seem disinterested. Malaysian said the check in woudl close 45 minutes before. If the Qantas flight is late in, are they responsible for the missed connection?

 

[MetroAir]

Cutting it fine!!

I would allow at least 1 1/2 hrs if you can't check through (which you can't).

Cheers

 

[guy]

I think I will try and get on the earlier flight, my domestic ticket can be changed without penalty.

 

[Dave Noble]

I think I will try and get on the earlier flight, my domestic ticket can be changed without penalty.

I think that in your case the MCT is not relevant; it sounds like you are on 2 tickets and so therefore not connecting. If you are on 2 separate tickets then the airline is not required to help you out at all so I would make sure that you leave a decent period

For an actual connection from QF to MH, 80 minutes will work and iirc, the MCT is 70 minutes

I would check with Qf and see whether they can check your bags through.

Dave

 

[coyote25]

Interestingly QANTAS changed an award flight of mine out of SYD to a connection time of 40 minutes between DOM & INT. I fixed it up with them however the CRM was surprised this had happened. This was Q to Q however I wasn't going to chance it.

Coyote25

 

[freaky]

Interestingly QANTAS changed an award flight of mine out of SYD to a connection time of 40 minutes between DOM & INT. I fixed it up with them however the CRM was surprised this had happened. This was Q to Q however I wasn't going to chance it.

Coyote25

That's happened to me a few times as well. The system that performs the time changes is automated and does not factor in any other flights on the itinerary. Any problems have to be picked up by the consultant and hopefully you'll still get a half decent connection.

I had an itin DOM to DOM that went from 40 minute connection thru SYD to 25 minutes to PER. Got shifted on my second flight and had a thoroughly enjoyable 3 hours at SYD. :roll: It could have been worse, I could have been stuck in ADL.

 

[Mal]

That's happened to me a few times as well. The system that performs the time changes is automated and does not factor in any other flights on the itinerary. Any problems have to be picked up by the consultant and hopefully you'll still get a half decent connection.
.

Similar thing happened to me. Imagine a same day return to a city being changed so that you had a 1 hour turnaround.

Hmmmm. Had to call up and get that one changed quick smart!

 

[aus_flyer]

I believe that Qantas' minimum connection time (for QF to QF) is 1.5 for Sydney. If you book shorter than that, they won't help if you miss your flight.

From personal experience with late flights into Sydney, I would allow at least 2.5 hours.

 

[JohnK]

I think that in your case the MCT is not relevant; it sounds like you are on 2 tickets and so therefore not connecting. If you are on 2 separate tickets then the airline is not required to help you out at all so I would make sure that you leave a decent period

If flying say LST-SYD the Qantas booking engine recommends flight LST-MEL dep 7:25am arr 7:25am and MEL-SYD dep 8:00am arr 9:20am. If I pick this routing and the first flight arrives late and I miss my connecting flight is this my responsibility or Qantas? There are other MEL-SYD flights each day but flying to other cities may only have 1 flight a day so missing flight could mean an overnight somewhere. May also have situation where you allow 3 hours connecting time and due to cancellations you may miss connecting flight.

Does the responsibility lie with the customer or the airline? Just interested to know what happens in these situations? What is the recommended minimum connection time for domestic routes?

 

[guy]

MCT

I have changed my QF flight from Adelaide to QF766 ETA into Sydney at 20:05 departing MH142 to Kuchint at 22:20 so should be enough time now, being 2:15 connecting time.

 

[serfty]

... If flying say LST-SYD the Qantas booking engine recommends flight LST-MEL dep 7:25am arr 7:25am and MEL-SYD dep 8:00am arr 9:20am. If I pick this routing and the first flight arrives late and I miss my connecting flight is this my responsibility or Qantas? There are other MEL-SYD flights each day but flying to other cities may only have 1 flight a day so missing flight could mean an overnight somewhere. May also have situation where you allow 3 hours connecting time and due to cancellations you may miss connecting flight.

Does the responsibility lie with the customer or the airline? Just interested to know what happens in these situations? What is the recommended minimum connection time for domestic routes?

I believe that if the Qantas web site lets you book it, it's the responsibility of Qnatas to get you there.

I have seen the on-line booking engine take MCT into account.

 

[Dave Noble]

Does the responsibility lie with the customer or the airline? Just interested to know what happens in these situations? What is the recommended minimum connection time for domestic routes?

If you book a ticket from A to B and it involves a connection at C, then missed connections are the responsibility of the airline and they are obligated to reprotect you as necessary

If you book 2 tickets A-C and C-B , then the responsibility is yours if you misconnect at C. The airline taking you from A-C has no responsibility to get you onwards since they have completed their obligation by getting you to C

Dave

Dave

 

[CO BNE]

Does the responsibility lie with the customer or the airline? Just interested to know what happens in these situations? What is the recommended minimum connection time for domestic routes?

If you book a ticket from A to B and it involves a connection at C, then missed connections are the responsibility of the airline and they are obligated to reprotect you as necessary

If you book 2 tickets A-C and C-B , then the responsibility is yours if you misconnect at C. The airline taking you from A-C has no responsibility to get you onwards since they have completed their obligation by getting you to C

As Dave mentions the responsibility is yours with separate bookings. However the airlines may help you out as was the case with Mrs CO BNE travelling to the US a fortnight ago. Award seat with QF and internal cheap tickets on AA booked separately. QF flight departed 4 hours late and also lost time in the air to land 5 hours after scheduled arrival making the 3 hour connection time in LAX inconsequential.

When the delays were known I was calling QF and AA. AA flat out told me to cancel the first leg so that her booking would not be lost and to fly standby, whilst QF said AA would take care of it. Mrs CO BNE landed in LAX to find she had been rebooked (not sure by whom), but due to the 5 hour delay had missed her flight that was rebooked. AA put her up in the Mariott for the night and rebooked her for the next day.

We had insurance so it was no biggie if we weren't rebooked but needless to say it saved a whole lot of hassles of going through reclaiming the costs from the underwriter.

 

[JohnK]

I believe that if the Qantas web site lets you book it, it's the responsibility of Qnatas to get you there.

I have seen the on-line booking engine take MCT into account.

Thanks serfty.

What is the recommended minimum connection time for domestic routes?

Would it be wise to assume that for domestic flights, travelling on one ticket recommended by Qantas, MCT is ~30 mimutes?

 

[Dave Noble]

Would it be wise to assume that for domestic flights, travelling on one ticket recommended by Qantas, MCT is ~30 mimutes?

It is around that; I think I have seen 25 minutes as a valid connection at ADL.

Dave

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I am sure I've seen 25 minutes at SYD (dom->dom) - did a double take when I saw it and had to check I was reading it right.

I think I've seen 20 minutes somewhere but cant be sure.

 

[JohnK]

I am sure I've seen 25 minutes at SYD (dom->dom) - did a double take when I saw it and had to check I was reading it right.

I think I've seen 20 minutes somewhere but cant be sure.

I guess these times would refer where only carry on baggage was involved.

If there was any checked baggage, is 20 minutes enough connection time?

 

[serfty]

I am sure I've seen 25 minutes at SYD (dom->dom) - did a double take when I saw it and had to check I was reading it right.

I think I've seen 20 minutes somewhere but cant be sure.

I guess these times would refer where only carry on baggage was involved.

If there was any checked baggage, is 20 minutes enough connection time?

The booking engine currently does not ask so it does not know if you will have checked baggage or not.

So in this case MCT will be based on checked luggage.

Having two domestic terminals has changed the MCT for SYD Domestic:
You have selected a flight whose departure time is only 15 minutes after the arrival of a preceding flight. The minimum connection time required is 40 minutes. Please change your flight selection and continue with your trip (11110 - 2300) .

For MEL Domestic:
You have selected a flight whose departure time is only 5 minutes after the arrival of a preceding flight. The minimum connection time required is 30 minutes. Please change your flight selection and continue with your trip (11110 - 2300)

 

[JohnK]

Having two domestic terminals has changed the MCT for SYD Domestic:
You have selected a flight whose departure time is only 15 minutes after the arrival of a preceding flight. The minimum connection time required is 40 minutes. Please change your flight selection and continue with your trip (11110 - 2300) .

For MEL Domestic:
You have selected a flight whose departure time is only 5 minutes after the arrival of a preceding flight. The minimum connection time required is 30 minutes. Please change your flight selection and continue with your trip (11110 - 2300)

Thanks serfty. It is handy to know these things.

And judging by above messages MCT is variable based on which airport is used. :?

 

[QF WP]

It is indeed, JohnK, depending on various factor such as (but not limited to):

* distance between gates (Dom to Dom transfer; or Intl to Intl)
* complexity of transfers (ie. Intl to Dom or vv - SYD is complex because of proximity, C&I clearance, time required to transfer using various travel methods; whereas MEL is a simple stroll between conjoining Terminals)

I don't know how they come up with the times, however I would expect some kind of standard time is calculated for each separate item and and rounded up.

When yuo have a "rush" transfer (I call them less than 45 mins); it's always interesting to see whether you bag travels the distance in the required time..sometimes we win, sometimes they make the next flight