overnight layover - baggage

[wendlle]

I have an overnight layover my itinerary is Canberra-Sydney-Los Angeles

Canberra to Sydney is on Sept 1
Sydney to LA is on Sept 2

I'm hoping they will check our luggage so we don't have to pick it up in Sydney and re-check the next morning but does anyone have experience with this?
We are staying at the Rydges Sydney Airport which I know isn't far to take the luggage, but just would be easier with us to take carry-on.

 

[Quickstatus]

I'm hoping they will check our luggage

I think you will have bags with you on Sept 1 and re-check in at SYD T1 on Sept 1

Presumably you are UA SYD-LAX?

Have you tried calling VA2?

 

[wendlle]

Bags will be with us on Sept 1 to check in at Canberra with Virgin.
Sept 2 we check in with UA, flight is all on one ticket.
I haven't asked them, I figure I'll pack what we need in our carry-on in case we can have the bags checked the entire trip - which they have done in the past but it wasn't an overnight layover.
If they don't then so be it, but thought someone may have done it before and knows.

 

[AIRwin]

I'm hoping they will check our luggage so we don't have to pick it up in Sydney and re-check the next morning but does anyone have experience with this?

Doesn't look like it:

Will Qantas in CFS check bags through for EK flights next day?

I have a question for the more seasoned travellers. I wasn't sure where to post it (sorry if it belongs elsewhere.) We have a Qantas reward booking for flights from Coffs Harbour to Sydney on Qantas (in economy) around midday next month and continuing on to Amsterdam with Emirates (in business)...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[wendlle]

Doesn't look like it:

Will Qantas in CFS check bags through for EK flights next day?

I have a question for the more seasoned travellers. I wasn't sure where to post it (sorry if it belongs elsewhere.) We have a Qantas reward booking for flights from Coffs Harbour to Sydney on Qantas (in economy) around midday next month and continuing on to Amsterdam with Emirates (in business)...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

thanks, this is with qantas, mine is with Virgin but I imagine it's the same rules.

 

[Quickstatus]

mine is with Virgin but I imagine it's the same rules.

Suspect it is airport procedures independent of airline rather than specific airline.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Your flight from CBR to SYD on a VAd code, will still be a saab340, so its that small narrow body with stairs.
Are you staying at the Rydges?
From T2, for a party of 2, maybe a taxi/uber is best.
I know that there is the tbus, but this can be a pain to get to wait for it, what with other pax and running on a schedule.
Ask at the link airlines desk at CBR airport, but I would suspect, you have to pick your bags up at the carousel at T2 SYD and go to your hotel, then check in with UA at T1 in SYD the next day.
Do let us know the result anyway.
Edit:
According to this, you will still need to go to UA check in, that next day, as VA will not do check in for partners,
Cut and paste from the VAd website:
===
Connections from Virgin Australia domestic flights to an international flight operated by a partner airline:

With global restrictions changing constantly, Virgin Australia will only be able to check your baggage to your final international destination. At your point of origin, your check-in agent will accept your baggage and check you in for the domestic portion of the journey only. When you arrive at your departure port for your international journey, you should proceed to the International Terminal to check in for your international journey.
===
Your dom flight is the night before, but ask at CBR and expect to have to pick up bags off carousels.

 

[Jurahn]

Unless things have changed in the last few years, you would have to collect your bags on arrival in SYD and recheck them the next day for your flight to the US. At least that was always the case if we had to overnight in SYD or MEL when coming across from PER for a flight to the States. The trips were always booked on one ticket with VA, but we were never able to check the bags all the way through.

Will be interested to know if this is still the case, as I'm planning to travel to the US next year, from Tassie this time, and when looking at booking on the one ticket through UA or VA, just about all the connections out of HBA are the evening before, which will mean overnighting SYD or MEL.

 

[Harrison_133]

Ask at the link airlines desk at CBR airport, but I would suspect, you have to pick your bags up at the carousel at T2 SYD and go to your hotel, then check in with UA at T1 in SYD the next day.

They won’t be going to the Link Airways desk because it is a Virgin flight, check in is at the Virgin desk.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

UA flight from SYD to US, is at 9.25am, so getting HBA to SYD the night before, is always the best idea.
Rydges is expensive, but you at least know you can walk across in bright light.
Novotel is a bit further away, and will need a taxi.
Even if you got the first flight from HBA to SYD to arr at 8am, its still quite tight to get from T2 VAd arri SYD to T1, doable, but will be tight.
If you do want to stay cheap in SYD/at SYD airport locale, and the Ibis Budget is a good el cheapo, book an uber for that next day early, or a taxi pick up early.
Don't be a "muppet" like me, I walked from the Ibis Budget to the taxi rank between T2 & T3 at 4.30/5am, expecting lots of taxis there, to get to T1, but nope, none in sight!
I guess after midnight, the taxis do not hang around SYD airport dom terminal.
I had to call an Adelaide taxi phone number, which in fact, (I didn't know) didn't have a presence in SYD.
So in the end, a white MPV pulls up, driver called my phone number I gave to the Adelaide taxi call centre, and paid the driver about $35 ($$$ I know) to get to T1.
I think he quoted $33 or so.
Pick up was under the multistorey car park between T2/T3, which when I now check, is the special pick up zone for chauffered vehicles at SYD dom airport.
Sorry for the waffly.
Edit:
Ah, first flight from HBA - SYD is VA1531, leaves 9.15am, too late to meet the UA flight dep SYD at 9.30am.

 

[Jurahn]

No need to apologise @AustraliaPoochie . Some great info and helpful advice there! Going to SYD or MEL the day before doesn't worry me, in fact I'd prefer that to be sure I make the international connection but what DOES concern me is that on all the itineraries I was getting through my VA and UA searches (using April 2023 flights as a test) the only option seemed to be the last flight of the day from HBA to SYD or MEL. That does indeed give me the horrors, given the possibility of that flight being cancelled (which out of HBA is a constant worry these days), and then you're stuffed as there's no way in hell you're going to make it to the mainland in time the next morning if there's even the slightest delay. Trying to do a multi-city booking to get an earlier HBA/MEL or SYD flight the day before throws the system into a paddy, often chucking a ridiculous price rise in there, so am possibly looking at separately booking an early domestic flight for the day before and then there's multiple other flights they could put me on the same day if things go up the spout with the flight I'm booking on. Will check the April 2024 flights when released though, and see what itinerary I can come up with.

The UA flight out of Brisbane seems to always have the domestic connection as the first HBA-BNE flight of the day, and again, delay or cancellation and you're stuffed.

If I did go to SYD, I would stay at Rydges again - yes, it's expensive, but it's just a matter of walking across the road and you're there. I'll have two suitcases (going to a ranch in early spring, so LOTS of warm clothes, not to mention boots, riding helmet and all that stuff that takes up way too much room!).

I have stayed at the Ibis Budget before, and got terrible food poisoning (thanks to the local KFC) so my associated memories of that hotel aren't good ones (even though what happened wasn't their fault!), and I'd also rather not be faffing around with taxis, Uber etc in Sydney traffic, even at that time of the morning. God I was ill - I had to extend my stay for another night, and was so weak the morning I left, I had to get a taxi to take me the short distance to the domestic terminal (a walk which I've made I don't know how many times, suitcase/s in tow, with no problems at all) to get my flight to Perth. Thankfully there were a few taxi drivers having a chat outside the Ibis that morning and one of them was happy to do it.

Really surprised that you found there were no taxis at the domestic at the time you went over, but definitely something to keep in mind!

My turn to apologise for waffling

 

[wendlle]

Rydges is expensive but we always stay there, with two kids in tow it is just so convenient to walk across the street.

We always get the T Bus I don't have much problems with it, it's usually on time and a quick trip, and free so there's that!
I don't want to uber or taxi as we have the kids. I don't like them in cars without carseats, we have portable boosters when we travel in the US but they aren't approved for use in Australia.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

That taxi rank was empty, great sight if you dont like taxis and prefer ubers.
Guess that with no demand there, at that time of the day, they won't wait there.
Didn't realise at the time that some taxi companies are not national.
Ie, names seen in Sydney, as to taxis, do not appear in Adelaide.
In the end, if you have to, maybe do a separate booking, yes, different PNR between VAd and UA, but you will earn UA points and SC in VFF, but if the only way to get a good trip, maybe get lwop from job, and do the trip out of HBA 22.5hrs prior to the UA dep time from SYD.
Yep, I did have a look at the HBA airport airline dep schedule, only 2 flights out a day with VA to SYD.
Rest is either QF or JQ.
One tip/idea (might not be ideal, but an option), not righteous fare wise either, is that there is an AirNZ flight from HBA some days, to AKL, from there you can get UA to the US, bypassing SYD/MEL/BNE.
Its a 320neo, no J, but you can get works deluxe.
Put points towards SQ KF.
Just had a look at the fares on UA on the AKL - US routings, very, very, very $$$, even in Y.
Though, AirNZ fares from AKL to US are not too bad.

 

[Jurahn]

That taxi rank was empty, great sight if you dont like taxis and prefer ubers.
Guess that with no demand there, at that time of the day, they won't wait there.
Didn't realise at the time that some taxi companies are not national.
Ie, names seen in Sydney, as to taxis, do not appear in Adelaide.
In the end, if you have to, maybe do a separate booking, yes, different PNR between VAd and UA, but you will earn UA points and SC in VFF, but if the only way to get a good trip, maybe get lwop from job, and do the trip out of HBA 22.5hrs prior to the UA dep time from SYD.
Yep, I did have a look at the HBA airport airline dep schedule, only 2 flights out a day with VA to SYD.
Rest is either QF or JQ.
One tip/idea (might not be ideal, but an option), not righteous fare wise either, is that there is an AirNZ flight from HBA some days, to AKL, from there you can get UA to the US, bypassing SYD/MEL/BNE.
Its a 320neo, no J, but you can get works deluxe.
Put points towards SQ KF.

I've been looking at other airlines for alternative options, problem is I need to fly into Cody, Wyoming and UA seems to have a monopoly on flying in there at that time of year. Trying to book a flight into that airport from any of the major hubs, even from as close as Denver is hideously expensive if doing it as a standalone booking. The only affordable way is to book all the way through with UA from Australia.

Flying into Billings (a couple of hours away) is suggested as an alternative, but that would mean hiring a rental car. I have no problems with driving in the US as I've done it several times before but there's no one way dropoff option to leave the car in Cody, so I would have to keep it for the two weeks I'll be at the ranch which is even more eyewateringly expensive, based on current rental car costs. Things might change with the travel market next year re flight availability in 2024, so will have to keep an eye on different options. I wouldn't even consider driving from anywhere further away either as it would involve going through mountain passes from just about any direction, and there's often still snow at that time of year - and then I'd still be stuck with paying for a car that's sitting there for two weeks, not being used.

 

[Quickstatus]

I seem to recall (maybe incorrect) that DL (used to?) operates into COD from SLC? but this was several years ago.

Alternative is to fly into BIL and take the Express Arrow Bus
However I think it will be much of a muchness.

 

[Jurahn]

I seem to recall (maybe incorrect) that DL (used to?) operates into COD from SLC? but this was several years ago.

Alternative is to fly into BIL and take the Express Arrow Bus
However I think it will be much of a muchness.

Yes, DL used to but apparently stopped doing so in 2022. There was talk of the flights resuming in 2023 but can't find anything on the flight schedules and sounds like it might only have been going to be during the summer months which is no good to me. Looks like Alaska flies in from Seattle, again only during the summer and again, airfares are $$$$.

I did look at the Express Arrow Bus from BIL, but it only runs twice a week, so timings will be problematic.

 

[Quickstatus]

Express Arrow Bus from BIL

Or the Jefferson Lines from Billings to Cody

 

[Jurahn]

Or the Jefferson Lines from Billings to Cody

Thanks for the link - I thought it odd that company didn't show up previously, as I did multiple searches for coach travel in that area, but after looking at their booking platform at that link, I can see why. From their route maps, it appears they don't actually travel to Billings or Cody themselves - the whole thing looks a bit weird and only lists three bus stops in north-east Wyoming, so assume those may be their own departure points and they link up with other bus companies?

If I go through the booking page, there is a direct bus Billings to Cody on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but as the details match the Express Arrow times and days, I assume they operate that one and maybe Jefferson do some sort of "codeshare"? There are bookings available on a couple of other days of the week, with a total of 26.5 hours going all the way from Billings to Buffalo then Casper, then back to Buffalo, Sheridan, Billings then on to Cody, which is quite a bizarre routing to offer! You also need to change to four different buses, and they don't identify on the itinerary who operates which route.

 

[XWu]

Your flight from CBR to SYD on a VAd code, will still be a saab340, so its that small narrow body with stairs.
Are you staying at the Rydges?
From T2, for a party of 2, maybe a taxi/uber is best.
I know that there is the tbus, but this can be a pain to get to wait for it, what with other pax and running on a schedule.
Ask at the link airlines desk at CBR airport, but I would suspect, you have to pick your bags up at the carousel at T2 SYD and go to your hotel, then check in with UA at T1 in SYD the next day.
Do let us know the result anyway.
Edit:
According to this, you will still need to go to UA check in, that next day, as VA will not do check in for partners,
Cut and paste from the VAd website:
===
Connections from Virgin Australia domestic flights to an international flight operated by a partner airline:

With global restrictions changing constantly, Virgin Australia will only be able to check your baggage to your final international destination. At your point of origin, your check-in agent will accept your baggage and check you in for the domestic portion of the journey only. When you arrive at your departure port for your international journey, you should proceed to the International Terminal to check in for your international journey.
===
Your dom flight is the night before, but ask at CBR and expect to have to pick up bags off carousels.

if CBR-SYD is really serviced by Saab, you have to wary about check in luggage limits (and your rightS) as the plane does have weight limits (and including standalone wt of individual bags, often much lower than domestic or international allowance) and even less space for carry ons