Qantas International - Check In

[Oliver Gigacz]

My mother is heading off to Fiji tomorrow, She is flying QF420 from Melbourne to Sydney, Than connects to QF391 to Nadi.

She was wondering does she check in in for all flights in Melbourne or does she just check in, in Melbourne for the flight to Sydney?

 

[Flashback]

My mother is heading off to Fiji tomorrow, She is flying QF420 from Melbourne to Sydney, Than connects to QF391 to Nadi.

She was wondering does she check in in for all flights in Melbourne or does she just check in, in Melbourne for the flight to Sydney?

It will all be done in MEL, otherwise can be done via OLCI ; if OLCI she will still need to front up and show her passport at some stage.

 

[Oliver Gigacz]

So she can check in her bags from MEL as well? If so what time should she arrive at Melbourne airport. Her flight leaves at 09:30.

 

[Flashback]

So she can check in her bags from MEL as well? If so what time should she arrive at Melbourne airport. Her flight leaves at 09:30.

I'd aim to arrive at MEL at 08:00, that being said she only really needs to be there as per the usual domestic cut-off times. Her bags will get tagged through from MEL-NAN.

 

[whughes3]

I'd aim to arrive at MEL at 08:00, that being said she only really needs to be there as per the usual domestic cut-off times. Her bags will get tagged through from MEL-NAN.

Actually, for domestic connecting flights, the cutoff for checkin is 30mins prior to flight time (ie 9:00am in this case). But they recommend 60 mins on the website.

 

[NM]

And she should check-in at the counter signed for International Connections at the MEL domestic terminal.

 

[serfty]

In MEL the actual counter is in T1 (Qantas) and signed something very like "Domestic Connections to International Flights".

It is towards the North (Right at) end of the lines of Qantas check-in desks.

90 minutes before the domestic flight is the latest I would recommend arriving at Melbourne Airport.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Hoped to check tonight in on QF198 from POM to CNS, my first international Q400 excursion.

Alas, no OLCI button:-|. Looks like its an airport job tomorrow, and we will have to hope (again) that Air Niugini's check in system isn't down (again).

 

[Ewing]

Actually, for domestic connecting flights, the cutoff for checkin is 30mins prior to flight time (ie 9:00am in this case). But they recommend 60 mins on the website.

Your original post was actually correct - it's 45 minutes for a domestic flight connecting to international.

Basically all of my international flights involve connecting in SYD or MEL from CBR, so it's easy for me to grab an example for an upcoming flight

The ticket receipts have stated for years that check in closes 45 minutes prior to the flight when you are checking baggage. The 30 minute closure has been for carry on only.

This happened some time between 21st March 2007 and 12th April 2007.

Text on 21st March:

Text on 12th April:

and the text today (well, Tuesday):

I usually get to the airport early anyway (45-60 minutes). I don't like feeling rushed, and it gives me plenty of time to check in, clear security and relax in the lounge for a little bit before boarding (again, I don't rush there either)

-Shaun

 

[whughes3]

Strange..I thought I recalled seeing a figure of 45mins, and indeed it seems I had..yet the website quite clearly says 30mins, which is why I made the change above. It might be worth getting some clarification from Qantas..

 

[PineappleSkip]

I usually get to the airport early anyway (45-60 minutes). I don't like feeling rushed, and it gives me plenty of time to check in, clear security and relax in the lounge for a little bit before boarding

Amen to that. Although I have found it a challenge relaxing in CBR QC on a thursday or friday afternoon. Hard enough finding a place to stand, let alone sit

cheers skip

 

[straitman]

Amen to that. Although I have found it a challenge relaxing in CBR QC on a thursday or friday afternoon. Hard enough finding a place to stand, let alone sit

cheers skip

With any luck that won't be an issue for much longer with the new terminal opening shortly.

 

[Ewing]

it's 45 minutes for a domestic flight connecting to international.

It looks like this may be changing again.

I just booked some flights for March next year - CBR-SYD-LHR and LHR-MEL-CBR in PE for $4,590 was just too good to pass up considering when I checked a few weeks ago when planning the trip the route was ~$6,500 (added bonus was A380 and on the dates I wanted to travel ).

But, the booking says this:

Waiting around CBR for 90 minutes just because I'm connecting to intl out of SYD is going to be an unwelcome change if this is the case.

I think I'll just arrive 45 minutes before QF1478 (ie: 105 minutes before departure) and hopefully the check in agent will put me on that one instead as I'd much rather spend that time in the F lounge (the domestic sectors booked into B/flexi saver so should be changeable)

-Shaun

 

[PineappleSkip]

An update: It seems places vary the rules to suit themselves.

From the ticketing fine print for a just completed journey POM-CNS-POM

FOR QANTAS OPERATED SERVICES, QANTAS RECOMMENDS THAT YOUCOMPLETE CHECK-IN BY THE FOLLOWING TIMES: INTERNATIONAL TERMINALS: QF001 - QF399FLIGHTS DEPARTING FROM AUSTRALIA: (INCLUDES DOMESTIC FLIGHTSDEPARTING FROM AN INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL)PREMIUM ECONOMY/ECONOMY CLASS - 120 MINUTES BEFORE DEPARTUREFIRST/BUSINESS CLASS - 90 MINUTES BEFORE DEPARTURE

CNS international appears to have a uniform rule that POM check in opens 2 hours before departure. Whether its PX, CG of QF. So the 'minimum' check in time is actually the maximum check in time.

Doubt if you'll see too many people checking in at 0345:shock::shock: for an 0545 :shock: flight

cheers skip

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I guess what they don't want is a family turning up at minus 30 with several bags etc being through checked to a destination eg NZ or the USA where you have to check documentatation like the ESTA and put in all the passport details manually. This isn't a lightning quick process at some airports particularly those that don't have scanners to swipe the passport page.

If you tell people the cut off is thirty minutes, you'll always get people who push that to the absolute edge of the envelope saying "we were told to arrive at the airport 30 minutes beforehand" having intrepreted that from "the flight closes 30 minutes prior to departure".

Then they have to take their car seats, prams, portacots etc down to the oversize before eventually making their way to the boarding gate after getting caught up in security and yes they are almost always the last pax to board the flight! :evil:

I remember seeing one family of 5 arrive late (between 45-60 minutes before departure) for the QF82 DRW/SYD flight connecting on to NZ on an intl flight. They were checked in but as DRW customs cleared them out of the country in DRW due to the int to int connection in SYD, they had to then fill out their green departure cards x 5 which took them forever.

From memory the flight did actually cop a delay down to those passengers & the Captain wasn't a happy camper.

 

[pn01]

I guess what they don't want is a family turning up at minus 30 with several bags etc being through checked to a destination eg NZ or the USA where you have to check documentatation like the ESTA and put in all the passport details manually. This isn't a lightning quick process at some airports particularly those that don't have scanners to swipe the passport page.

If you tell people the cut off is thirty minutes, you'll always get people who push that to the absolute edge of the envelope saying "we were told to arrive at the airport 30 minutes beforehand" having intrepreted that from "the flight closes 30 minutes prior to departure".

Then they have to take their car seats, prams, portacots etc down to the oversize before eventually making their way to the boarding gate after getting caught up in security and yes they are almost always the last pax to board the flight! :evil:

I remember seeing one family of 5 arrive late (between 45-60 minutes before departure) for the QF82 DRW/SYD flight connecting on to NZ on an intl flight. They were checked in but as DRW customs cleared them out of the country in DRW due to the int to int connection in SYD, they had to then fill out their green departure cards x 5 which took them forever.

From memory the flight did actually cop a delay down to those passengers & the Captain wasn't a happy camper.

I find people who are in the departure area but then don't board or respond to multiple announcements from the staff far more annoying.

Even worse for the rest of us if they never appear and then have to get their bags offboarded.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Even worse for the rest of us if they never appear and then have to get their bags offboarded.

That's a huge assumption to make not to mention an extremely irresponsible comment to make on a public forum when you have no facts to back it up with. What airline/aircraft type/seat number were you sitting in?

How do you know if these 'fail to board' passengers even have checked in luggage?

Just because pax don't appear to have their bags offloaded, doesn't mean they aren't.

It would depend what aircraft type you are travelling on as to whether or not you see the bags being onloaded or offloaded in the first place.

If you're on a 737 on the left hand side you won't see anything as you'll most likely have an aerobridge attached to the front left door and rear stairs to the back left for cleaners so you won't see bags being loaded of offloaded on the right hand side of the aircraft. Even if you're on the right hand side of the plane, if you're sitting forward to won't be able to see bags being loaded/unloaded into the rear cargo hold and vv. :idea:

I find people making sweeping statements about things they are not qualified to comment about evening more annoying than being late to checkin or a fail to board pax. :evil:

 

[PineappleSkip]

I find people who are in the departure area but then don't board or respond to multiple announcements from the staff far more annoying.

How do you know they are in the departure area? I have seen any number of people stung by late flight calls in the QC.

The last time I was one of those 'multiple announcements' people my bags had been checked through to a BNE-CBR flight at POM from an international (POM-BNE) connection. DJ's stated minimum connect 90 mins, my connect time two hours. The flight was 40 mins late (1h 20 left), the queues through customs and AQIS were long (50 mins left), there was a further queue at the domestic transfer desk (45 mins left) and I just missed the train with 25 mins to the next one. Arrived BNE DOM 10 mins after boarding commenced and RAN all the way from the train platform to the satellite.

When I arrived on the verge of a heart attack the DJ FA said with a smile "International transfer Mr Pineapple?'. She said it happens regularly.

Apologies were unnecessary. DJ made the decision at the transfer desk that I would be right to board the flight and they'd be able to get the bags from the intl terminal to my flight.

Cheers skip

 

[oz_mark]

That's a huge assumption to make not to mention an extremely irresponsible comment to make on a public forum when you have no facts to back it up with. What airline/aircraft type/seat number were you sitting in?

How do you know if these 'fail to board' passengers even have checked in luggage?

Just because pax don't appear to have their bags offloaded, doesn't mean they aren't.

WHy is this a huge assumption?

I have been on many flights (yes, even on Qantas) where the captain has told us they are unloading baggage due to passengers failing to board. You don't have to see the bags get unloaded - the crew tell you that is what is happening.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

WHy is this a huge assumption?

I have been on many flights (yes, even on Qantas) where the captain has told us they are unloading baggage due to passengers failing to board. You don't have to see the bags get unloaded - the crew tell you that is what is happening.

I was referring to the poster assuming that bags are not offloaded when the pax belonging to them are, not the above instance which I'm not disputing.