Recent Experiences with Qantas' terminal transfer at SYD

[markis10]

It’s much of a muchness, the airside bus is every 15-20 mins and can get held up by apron movements. Train is well signposted, go down to the arrivals area and follow the signs, debit card and platform 2, get off next stop.

 

[Himeno]

Hmm, that's strange. The message I just replied to didn't have the last part of the sentence "if she catches the airside bus they will at least know where she is." I agree. On a train she could end up anywhere!

They scan the onward boarding pass at the gate for the airside transfer bus. Qantas will know that she is on the bus and heading to the international terminal.
If they get the train, Qantas will only know that the inbound flight arrived and have no idea where in the airport she is.

 

[nutwood]

Thanks for the replies. Am I correct in saying that the air-side bus is operating and is the simplest way to transfer terminals?
Sounds as though the phone advice from Qantas was not correct. My daughter did say it seemed that the person she spoke to didn't really know and was looking it up; hence my post here.

 

[AIRwin]

Am I correct in saying that the air-side bus is operating and is the simplest way to transfer terminals?

Yes, some info on Transfers here (scroll to Qantas seamless transfer):

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/at-the-airport/airport-guides/sydney-t3-domestic-airport-guide.html#transfers

 

[opusman]

I thought MCT SYD T3-T1 was 90 minutes?

 

[nutwood]

Excellent. Thank you. We did read the guide but when we had conflicting information direct from the source....!
Double checked with my daughter and she actually has 80 minutes, not the 70 I thought. May have been 90 originally. It's been booked a while and they've changed (enhanced?)the flight times multiple times.

 

[jb747]

Airside bus.

 

[GDSman]

Agree with above for a QF-QF transfer. Any thoughts on the free SYD airport operated transfer bus v Train for a QF - NH Dom-Int transfer? I have one coming up next week

 

[Quickstatus]

This is not a new question but I'm chasing some up to date info. My daughter is flying ADL-AKL via SYD on a Qantas connecting flight. Only 70 minutes at Sydney so quite tight.

80 min is doable but tight
What time is the SYD-AKL flight? if the AKL flight is the last one for the day, and the ADL flight is delayed getting into SYD, daughter may have to overnight in sydney - but QF should help with accom.

The airside bus is usually the recommendation
It runs every 15min and takes 10 min and uses internal airport roads rather that outside Sydney roads.
So at worst it will take no more than 30 min.
The bus is located at Gate 15 in the Qantas Domestic terminal (T3)

 

[Flyerwin]

What about the other way? Coming home from Japan later next year we have to transit from HND to SYD to MEL - presumably we have to completely check out, collect luggage, and transfer to the domestic terminal in Sydney. I've done this before but can't remember - the last time missed our flight, but this time I've left 2.5 hours transit.

 

[Quickstatus]

What about the other way?

Get the TBus (the airport terminal transfer bus) or the train.
You still have to immigration/passport/quarantine+customs

In your case the SYD-MEL flights are numerous. if you miss it QF will transfer you to a later one without questions.

 

[Flyerwin]

if you miss it QF will transfer you to a later one without questions.

The last time this happened 2 years ago, we were coming back from Noumea - missed the 2 pm, was told we had to wait until 10 pm. In the end we snuck onto the 7 pm.

 

[Himeno]

What about the other way? Coming home from Japan later next year we have to transit from HND to SYD to MEL - presumably we have to completely check out, collect luggage, and transfer to the domestic terminal in Sydney. I've done this before but can't remember - the last time missed our flight, but this time I've left 2.5 hours transit.

There is a Qantas transfer bus going back the other way. Available for connections to QF domestic flights.
You collect baggage and pass through immigration/customs. Follow the signs in arrivals to the Qantas transfer (in the direction of the train station access, but you go outside to the transfer area before reaching the train station).
You recheck baggage. They will also rebook you/reissue boarding passes if needed. Then you go through domestic security and onto an airside bus back over to T3 gate 15.

 

[jpp42]

Regarding the T1 to T3 direction, does QF allow passengers ticketed as domestic only to use this check-in and bus service if they rock up? Two scenarios: 1) went to wrong terminal, or 2) arrived at T1 via a separately ticketed Intl flight.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Regarding the T1 to T3 direction, does QF allow passengers ticketed as domestic only to use this check-in and bus service if they rock up? Two scenarios: 1) went to wrong terminal, or 2) arrived at T1 via a separately ticketed Intl flight.

Yes. 100's of people arrive at T1 QF domestic check-in desk from international flights [or by foot, taxi, uber, train car or what ever] and have separate QF domestic reservations. Same for VA T1 check in desk. With no domestic Skyteam or Star alliance airlines this is very common.

 

[Beano]

Yes. 100's of people arrive at T1 QF domestic check-in desk from international flights [or by foot, taxi, uber, train car or what ever] and have separate QF domestic reservations. Same for VA T1 check in desk. With no domestic Skyteam or Star alliance airlines this is very common.

You could return your hire car to INTL then use the transfer bus to DOM! Saves the hassle of the shuttle from the other side of the airport to Dom. But would it be faster? At least you check in at INTL and get dropped off inside the terminal (well, outside but have direct access to the terminal building).

 

[penny6]

Yes. 100's of people arrive at T1 QF domestic check-in desk from international flights [or by foot, taxi, uber, train car or what ever] and have separate QF domestic reservations. Same for VA T1 check in desk. With no domestic Skyteam or Star alliance airlines this is very common.

Yes I did this a couple of weeks ago - arrived on an ANA flight and had a separate booking with QF from Sydney to Melbourne. I went and checked into to the domestic transfer desk at T1 and jumped on to the QF bus to head over to domestic

 

[PERLHR]

Look it's possible....even with a tight turn around but it's never ideal. It's an awful airport with ridiculous international to domestic requirements especially and while the other way around at least no need to pick up your bag and re check in its not brilliant. Maybe one day it will all be simple but I doubt it. I was lucky, I had an hour and ten minutes from JAL international arrival to QF domestic to Perth in December. JAL made it happen for me and no way could I do it myself and next time will probably look for an easier solution and via different airport.

 

[Beano]

Look it's possible....even with a tight turn around but it's never ideal. It's an awful airport with ridiculous international to domestic requirements especially and while the other way around at least no need to pick up your bag and re check in its not brilliant. Maybe one day it will all be simple but I doubt it. I was lucky, I had an hour and ten minutes from JAL international arrival to QF domestic to Perth in December. JAL made it happen for me and no way could I do it myself and next time will probably look for an easier solution and via different airport.

When entering into Australia on any International flight and connecting to a domestic at any airport you need to collect your bags and re-check them onto the ongoing flight and for you to go through security at the domestic terminal. The other way round your bags would be checked through to the INT flight, but you would still need to go through immigartion.

 

[PERLHR]

When entering into Australia on any International flight and connecting to a domestic at any airport you need to collect your bags and re-check them onto the ongoing flight and for you to go through security at the domestic terminal. The other way round your bags would be checked through to the INT flight, but you would still need to go through immigartion.

Yes but having to trail all across the airfield to another terminal some distance away makes it also difficult. For me next time it's easy.....I fly from origin to Singapore, no need for bag pick up...and then connect directly to where I want to go in Australia ignoring the carry on at SYD.