Questions re transferring QF/JQ dom -> JQ int

[wafliron]

Later this year myself and my significant other are looking to travel to Bali on JQ, routing MEL-SYD-DPS. We'd like to spend a goodly amount of time in the SYD FLounge before the SYD-DPS flight, and hence have a couple of questions related to "optimising" the dom->int transfer which I'm hoping someone can help me out with:

1) From what I've been reading, if we fly MEL-(JQ)-SYD-(JQ)-DPS then our bags will not be through-checked and we will not get our SYD-DPS BPs in Melbourne. Therefore we'd need to re-checkin in SYD and cannot do this any earlier than 3 hours before the flight. Is that all correct?

2) Threads on AFF from c.2010 suggest if we connect from QF dom to JQ int - so if we went MEL-(QF)-SYD-(JQ)-DPS - then our bags will be through-checked and we will get our SYD-DPS BP at the MEL. This would mean no unncessary holdup / checkin-max-3-hours-before-the-flight restriction in SYD. However, what I can find on the JQ website (Flight Connections | Jetstar) suggests that this isn't the case. Can someone confirm what the current policy is when transferring QF dom -> JQ int?

3) If the answer to #2 is that bags are not through-checked / BPs are not issued in MEL no matter who we fly the dom leg with, can anyone estimate how long we're likely to get in the F Lounge given the 3-hour checkin window, time to clear customs / security in SYD without Express Passes, etc?

4) If the answer to #2 is that bags are through-checked / BPs are issued in MEL if the MEL-SYD if on QF, would we be eligible to use the transfer bus in SYD? Or would we still need exit landside and make our own way to the international terminal? Not a big deal this one, but thought I mind as well ask whilst I was at it

Thanks in advance... appreciative of any assistance as always!

 

[pyffii]

My experience in December-January travelling with various family members to Honolulu with J* in BC was that we travelled from either Melbourne or Brisbane on Qantas domestic and then connected to J* in Sydney...Our bags were checked through to Honolulu but boarding passes were NOT issued and we were forced to checkin with J* in Sydney to obtain our boarding passes...We did however have plenty of time for the FC lounge...I would allow at least a 3 hours connection time...Enjoy the lounge

 

[wafliron]

My experience in December-January travelling with various family members to Honolulu with J* in BC was that we travelled from either Melbourne or Brisbane on Qantas domestic and then connected to J* in Sydney...Our bags were checked through to Honolulu but boarding passes were NOT issued and we were forced to checkin with J* in Sydney to obtain our boarding passes...We did however have plenty of time for the FC lounge...I would allow at least a 3 hours connection time...Enjoy the lounge

Thanks for the feedback - your experience is different again compared to what I could find on JQ's website and on prior forum posts though. Argh!

Can anyone else share their experience too?

Also, how long did you manage to get in the F Lounge, taking into account the fact that you wouldn't have been able to checkin before 3 hours prior to the flight, need time to clear customs / security, get from the lounge to your plane, etc?

 

[pyffii]

read this thread http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/your-questions/linking-qf-dom-jq-intl-34029.html

We fronted J* about 3.5 hours from departure and they were not too enthusiastic about checking us in but with a gentle prod we had our boarding passes in a few minutes...no wait at security and so we had 3 hours + in the FLounge...welll not really as we left for the gate 45 mins before departure...But more than enough time to indulge ourselves....And remember to insist when checking in with Qantas domestic that they as in Qantas can transfer the checked baggage in Sydney through to J*...Do not accept any negative response

 

[wafliron]

read this thread http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/your-questions/linking-qf-dom-jq-intl-34029.html

Thank - post #12 clearly answers my question WRT bag interlining QFd to JQi - the answer being yes. I guess with the BPs I'll have to get the Plat desk to put a ghost segment on the QFd itinerary and smile nicely when I ask check-in for the QFd flight

We fronted J* about 3.5 hours from departure and they were not too enthusiastic about checking us in but with a gentle prod we had our boarding passes in a few minutes...no wait at security and so we had 3 hours + in the FLounge...welll not really as we left for the gate 45 mins before departure...But more than enough time to indulge ourselves....And remember to insist when checking in with Qantas domestic that they as in Qantas can transfer the checked baggage in Sydney through to J*...Do not accept any negative response

Thanks for the extra info. At least I have badgering the JQi staff at SYD for an early checkin as a backup option if I can't get the JQi BP in MEL

 

[ozbeachbabe]

2) Threads on AFF from c.2010 suggest if we connect from QF dom to JQ int - so if we went MEL-(QF)-SYD-(JQ)-DPS - then our bags will be through-checked and we will get our SYD-DPS BP at the MEL. This would mean no unncessary holdup / checkin-max-3-hours-before-the-flight restriction in SYD. However, what I can find on the JQ website (Flight Connections | Jetstar) suggests that this isn't the case. Can someone confirm what the current policy is when transferring QF dom -> JQ int?

4) If the answer to #2 is that bags are through-checked / BPs are issued in MEL if the MEL-SYD if on QF, would we be eligible to use the transfer bus in SYD? Or would we still need exit landside and make our own way to the international terminal? Not a big deal this one, but thought I mind as well ask whilst I was at it
Thanks in advance... appreciative of any assistance as always!

I think sometimes the link is down between JQ & QF so when you checkin at QFd, the bag tags will print to HNL but sometimes you will only get the MEL/SYD boarding passes on QF. If this is the case I would go over to the international checkin area at MEL which is easy as it's an easy walk from domestic checkin & ask JQ if they can reprint your boarding passes. If they can, also ask if you can have two express cards for immigration also.

If by some chance there are no JQi flights departing & therefore no JQi checkin counters open, head to JQ domestic checkin & ask if they can reprint your boarding passes for the JQi flight SYD/HNL. If you encounter any objections like "we can't/dont do checkin for JQ international flights" respond with "that's okay I'm already checked in I just need a boarding pass reprint".

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....rogram/strategy-get-early-jq-check-32055.html

Being JQd checkin people they may have not had exposure to checking in people to the US & entering all the bits & pieces for US Homeland Security however that should have all been completed by the QFd checkin agent even if you didn't receive the JQi boarding passes at the time.

If you weren't successful in obtaining the express cards for SYD immigration, ask in the QF J Lounge at MEL domestic as they may have some there.

read this thread http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/your-questions/linking-qf-dom-jq-intl-34029.html

We fronted J* about 3.5 hours from departure and they were not too enthusiastic about checking us in but with a gentle prod we had our boarding passes in a few minutes...no wait at security and so we had 3 hours + in the FLounge...welll not really as we left for the gate 45 mins before departure...But more than enough time to indulge ourselves....And remember to insist when checking in with Qantas domestic that they as in Qantas can transfer the checked baggage in Sydney through to J*...Do not accept any negative response

I guess with the BPs I'll have to get the Plat desk to put a ghost segment on the QFd itinerary and smile nicely when I ask check-in for the QFd flight

Forget putting ghost segments in your Amadeus pnr (in the QF reservations system) as they don't generate across to the Altea checkin side of things ie all the QFd checkin agent will see is your MEL/SYD flight for that day not the JQ flight. I'd say 95% of the time a checkin agent would not have the need to look at your pnr in the res system as just about everything they need to complete the process will be available to them in Altea.

Having said that, there should be no reason why the QFd checkin agent cannot add the JQ flights in to the pnr using the 'add itinerary' function as there is an interline agreement from QFd to JQi so the answer "no" is not an option.

 

[wafliron]

I think sometimes the link is down between JQ & QF so when you checkin at QFd, the bag tags will print to HNL but sometimes you will only get the MEL/SYD boarding passes on QF. If this is the case I would go over to the international checkin area at MEL which is easy as it's an easy walk from domestic checkin & ask JQ if they can reprint your boarding passes. If they can, also ask if you can have two express cards for immigration also.

If by some chance there are no JQi flights departing & therefore no JQi checkin counters open, head to JQ domestic checkin & ask if they can reprint your boarding passes for the JQi flight SYD/HNL. If you encounter any objections like "we can't/dont do checkin for JQ international flights" respond with "that's okay I'm already checked in I just need a boarding pass reprint".

Thanks for the extensive extra info ozbeachbabe, much appreciated.

One quick question: with the strategy you're proposing to get JQ to "reprint" the BP, should I checkin for the JQ flight at the QFd checkin desk, or prior using OLCI? Any difference, or it doesn't matter?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Thanks for the extensive extra info ozbeachbabe, much appreciated.

One quick question: with the strategy you're proposing to get JQ to "reprint" the BP, should I checkin for the JQ flight at the QFd checkin desk, or prior using OLCI? Any difference, or it doesn't matter?

were both the JQ & QF flight booked via the QF website ie all flights in the the one QF pnr, or did you book the QF flights on www.qantas.com & JQ flights on www.jetstar.com?

If all booked on the one pnr through QF I would give OLCI a go as a number of AFFers who did the recent Flounge run back in Jan were successful in receive both QFd or QFi boarding passes & JQ35 boarding passes when doing QF OLCI when all flights were in the same QF pnr.

If you have booked the QF & JQ flights separately, if you were to try JQ OLCI AFAIK you only get the token 'this is not a boarding pass - see airport staff' print out & so I would just leave all checkin until when you arrive at QFd in MEL & see what happens.

If you get both boarding passes from QFd that's great, if not let 'Operation Reprint' swing in to action & approach JQi for JQd for the boarding passes.

If you have done your booking for the HNL flights direct through JQ, make sure you have entered all your passport info, contact address on arrival & ESTA visa waiver stuff so there is nothing more for the airline to do.

As I mentioned in an earlier post if you saw a JQd person who is only used to printing out domestic boarding passes & they were suddenly confronted with having to enter passport details other stuff which they may never have seen before they may understandably be hesitant to assist you as the boarding passes won't print out until all the required information is there & they may not know the commands to enter the necessary info into the JQ Navitaire checkin system.

In light of the above, I don't think there's anything at all clandestine about getting JQ boarding passes reprinted via whatever source deemed necessary if you haven't been able to get them all at once when checking in.

I don't think passengers should be inconvenienced by having to line up at checkin for a second time at SYD Intl (whether or not they have lounge access or not) just because the QF & JQ systems aren't talking to each other at the very moment you happened to check in.

 

[wafliron]

were both the JQ & QF flight booked via the QF website ie all flights in the the one QF pnr, or did you book the QF flights on www.qantas.com & JQ flights on www.jetstar.com?

One via QF website (JASA) and the other via JQ website.

If all booked on the one pnr through QF I would give OLCI a go as a number of AFFers who did the recent Flounge run back in Jan were successful in receive both QFd or QFi boarding passes & JQ35 boarding passes when doing QF OLCI when all flights were in the same QF pnr.

If you have booked the QF & JQ flights separately, if you were to try JQ OLCI AFAIK you only get the token 'this is not a boarding pass - see airport staff' print out & so I would just leave all checkin until when you arrive at QFd in MEL & see what happens.

Thanks - I won't bother with OLCI and will chanc emy luck at the QFd checkin in MEL.

If you get both boarding passes from QFd that's great, if not let 'Operation Reprint' swing in to action & approach JQi for JQd for the boarding passes.

If you have done your booking for the HNL flights direct through JQ, make sure you have entered all your passport info, contact address on arrival & ESTA visa waiver stuff so there is nothing more for the airline to do.

My flight is actually SYD-DPS - HON was mentioned by one of the other people who replied to my OP. However, point taken, and I will make sure all passport info, etc, has been passed on to JQ before checkin - thanks for the tip.

In light of the above, I don't think there's anything at all clandestine about getting JQ boarding passes reprinted via whatever source deemed necessary if you haven't been able to get them all at once when checking in.

I don't think passengers should be inconvenienced by having to line up at checkin for a second time at SYD Intl (whether or not they have lounge access or not) just because the QF & JQ systems aren't talking to each other at the very moment you happened to check in.

I completely agree - let's hope QF/JQ agree on the day as well!

Thanks again for your assistance.