Recent Experiences with QF’s new terminal transfer at SYD

Vering OT here, but
I am as blind as an earthworm without my glasses.
Cant see the camera too well, only get blinded by the bright lights when I look straight ahead at the camera!
Even before the new passport rules re glasses came in, occasionally, I have had to take mine off.
Try to put your Smartgate ticket into slot without glasses and then smile, eugh, nak, not flying int anymore.
We all know our new Aust passports now need us holders to be without glasses when photo taken, so no glasses when passing Smartgate either.
I last travelled int before these new rules came in.
But no, I am not flying int again, for many varied reasons (DPD, et al).
Not even to see snow in Japan or fly over the alps in NZ.
Only keeping my passport as id, and will renew it every 10 years as a passport photo momento, seeing how much I have aged since the last one.
 
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TheTravelExperience said:
LinaLee, could I ask if you departed from KUL?

to the other forum members, two questions, I wonder could the MH desk at KL be unable to tag all the way to final destination ? And say if the MH desk in KUL is unable / unwilling to do it, could bring our boarding passes to the transit desk in SIN and ask them to do it, since SIN is where QF operates from, I would figure the agents there might be more on the ball?

granted I could try insisting at KUL...but seeking the path of least resistance :D
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Yes, I started from KUL. Hope you gave yourself lots of time if you can’t get it tagged to final destination. Three hours buffer not enough at it takes close to an hour for bags, during peak arrival time. Another 1-2 hours or more on my experience to get bags recheck. Reason is by the time most of us get to front of queue, they have to rebook us as we are about to or have missed the flight. Why they do not assign a counter for those that have already missed the flight and will take longer to process and then another for those who can just drop off bags is beyond me to understand as it’s a no brainer…..
 
LinaLee said:
Yes, I started from KUL. Hope you gave yourself lots of time if you can’t get it tagged to final destination. Three hours buffer not enough at it takes close to an hour for bags, during peak arrival time. Another 1-2 hours or more on my experience to get bags recheck. Reason is by the time most of us get to front of queue, they have to rebook us as we are about to or have missed the flight. Why they do not assign a counter for those that have already missed the flight and will take longer to process and then another for those who can just drop off bags is beyond me to understand as it’s a no brainer…..
Click to expand...
Thank you . Yeah I’m scheduled to fly KUL-SIN-SYD-BNE in 2 weeks … I think I’ll just cancel this trip…there was a cancellation on the SIN - KUL segment on the return leg and I think I’ll just use it as a basis to get a refund

Thank you again
 
AustraliaPoochie said:
Vering OT here, but

But no, I am not flying int again, for many varied reasons (DPD, et al).
Click to expand...

a huge veer... but really? DPD? this is a reason to avoid travel? yet thousands handle them fine every day? What you're really saying is you are not prepared to travel because of fear. Understandable but really.. get out there and do what you want to do I say. These things may be annoying but should not be barriers to travel. Viruses and health concerns are one thing, but processes like DPD, immigration, vax forms, whatever probably shouldn't be.. in my view anyway. obviously yours vary. Never say Never pooch!

And yes speaking of barriers, re smartgates I too take the ol coke bottles off, and I assume the blinking is part of the problem with the fails.. as I indicated a bit of "user error" I guess. I accept that. It's no biggie. Just part of life. Not going to stop me :)
 
Not only DPD form filling, not so bad if its a short trip to NZ, where a person "could" do it prior to leaving Au for that short trip to NZ, but for a long trip, am I going to lug my "good laptop" all the way to HND/NRT, not to mention having to find secure wifi...
Also, seamless light, QFF "mistreating" pax bags, news about that pax from HBA to MEL, flight cancelled then he was turfed onto HBA - SYD, thereby losing his premY seat MEL - PER, ((this was in an email snippet, not sure if it was via AFF/ET))...
Not to mention that pax had to sleep on the floor at LAX as their QF flight got cancelled.
Having to phone up and speak to an o/seas QFF "agent".
Might as well just book a domestic J trip one way, and a Y return, when I feel the urge to fly again.
Ok, will keep my pooch mouth quiet now, and let others have their say on seamless lite, ...
 
Very easy International to domestic qantas transfer today after 6am arrival on QF2. Bags delivered quickly, Rechecked bags at international, also cleared security here and then dedicated qantas bus to domestic terminal. 20 mins from deplaning to sitting in domestic business lounge. Seems like you need to fly in on QF metal as chap in front of us who flew in in on Emirates with a qf flight number was told rather rudely that this service wasn’t available to him. He told them he booked on qf website and was transferring to domestic QF and still was turned away.
 
Spieck said:
Very easy International to domestic qantas transfer today after 6am arrival on QF2. Bags delivered quickly, Rechecked bags at international, also cleared security here and then dedicated qantas bus to domestic terminal. 20 mins from deplaning to sitting in domestic business lounge. Seems like you need to fly in on QF metal as chap in front of us who flew in in on Emirates with a qf flight number was told rather rudely that this service wasn’t available to him. He told them he booked on qf website and was transferring to domestic QF and still was turned away.
Click to expand...
Are you saying you took took the QF bus airside?
 
Hey Poochie,
If you are traveling for business, you put up with all the cough. If you are travelling for personal enjoyment, the combined efforts of govt, airports and airlines are doing their best to take the fun out of travel.
We just got back from AKL-SYD-ADL-SYD-AKL trip to see friends and a bit of work. The AFF was great in helping with the DPD, and the crowd based support about how rubbish it is. We did the entire document, it lost mine, so I had to do it again, then we received confirmation it had been received and accepted 22 hours after arrival in SYD.
On the way home the govt changed its stance on RAT testing, but still sent us an email saying it was time to start the RAT test. At Sydney international on the way home it took us over 2.5 hours to check in and get air side yesterday morning. The flight was faster than check-in. No wp check in or fast-track screening. Only 5 J counters open, and the staff often taking 15 min to process checking with current requirements. We did manage to get to the lounge and had time for 1 coffee before boarding. Flights are full and staff were tired. The mask debate. Is a mask effective if someone is wearing it as an eyemask to sleep and coughs in their sleep?
Then on arrival to AKL we were denied at smartgate and had to go to the manned immigration desk . We were told our NZ declaration was not done. despite email confirmation. I had to show my NZ vac certificate, even if I don't need to be vaccinated to get into NZ on a NZ passport. And while away, there was the worry that one of us could get symptomatic covid ( or any other respiratory virus) and be denied boarding.
OK, we did have a great time with friends on the holiday, but the travel component was not enjoyable.
Hopefully all this will be removed or fixed in the future, but I can see your point at the moment.
 
Na...
Too troublesome to now fly int, to do the DPD and NZ onlinePD.
Tassie for me up to Mt Wellington.
I have QF app now on new smartphone, to check in.
Plus VFF app too.
I don't need to fly for work, mine is purely recreational.
Ta for replies though.
 
Seamless transfers between INT > DOM are back.


As international travel continues to pick up, Qantas has resumed direct transfers for customers arriving off international flights at Sydney Airport and connecting to domestic flights.

This means customers can check in and be security screened for their domestic flight in the international terminal and be transferred by bus across the tarmac to the domestic terminal.
Click to expand...
 
Spieck said:
Very easy International to domestic qantas transfer today after 6am arrival on QF2. Bags delivered quickly, Rechecked bags at international, also cleared security here and then dedicated qantas bus to domestic terminal. 20 mins from deplaning to sitting in domestic business lounge. Seems like you need to fly in on QF metal as chap in front of us who flew in in on Emirates with a qf flight number was told rather rudely that this service wasn’t available to him. He told them he booked on qf website and was transferring to domestic QF and still was turned away.
Click to expand...
I arrived 2 days later on QF2 and it was a disaster. I was in J, bags took 30 mins, customs took another 30 mins and I then waited for over 30 mins at the transfer queue and gave up and got the train (it would have been at least another hour).

A complete disaster and the only difference was the flight was a couple of hours late.
 
Last edited:
serfty said:
What about DOM > INT?
Click to expand...
DOM > INT has been running normally for a little while now. INT > DOM has taken longer to get back up and running properly I’m assuming because of the additional resourcing required to operate the domestic check in desks and security screening over at the international terminal.
 

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