Two-way Trans-Tasman Bubble starting 19 April 2021

[Beano]

You'll be able to go... the question is can you leave?

Quite happy to stay for a few more days. Get more work done.

 

[Berlin]

And I just told my work colleagues here in Auckland that I really enjoyed Bondi over the past weekend. Not that I was at those specific locations but they are going to PANICK no matter what

Yep- knew it: It's working from home for me until next week- "abundance of caution" gets taken very seriously at my workplace. Which is a good thing, in my opinion.

 

[Beano]

Flying WLG-SYD with Qantas after a brief hiatus on Sunday. In Koru lounge WLG International. Food serving good as well as some hot food--Lamb stew--but no windows--all laid over with a WLG skyline at dusk. No business centre as the Q lounge. Seems very pokey compared with the Q lounge. Flight has 80 PAX (737 or the like). With at least three flight cancelled over the weekend I was expecting a fuller flight.

 

[Beano]

Counted 23 Qantas PAX in the lounge all on SYD flight. 23 out of 80, is that a high proportion?

 

[henrus]

Counted 23 Qantas PAX in the lounge all on SYD flight. 23 out of 80, is that a high proportion?

Not really, the few flights I've had across the tasman have been very "premium heavy" with quite a high number eligible for lounge access. It's not normal compared to pre-covid but I guess what that shows is the type of person who is traveling trans tasman post covid.

 

[Beano]

J was full so that accounts for 12. Just to complete details; at check in asked "Have you filled out the documents". Answer, of course, is yes. On arrival had to sit out the prerecorded covid spiel, then afterwards same as usual. Noone asked to see any documents or electronic forms. Perhaps it's all recorded and big brother is watching.

 

[henrus]

On arrival had to sit out the prerecorded covid spiel, then afterwards same as usual. Noone asked to see any documents or electronic forms. Perhaps it's all recorded and big brother is watching.

I suspect in a few months time someone will get bored of doing it on the ground and it'll be loaded into the arrival video or something similar.

Flights from AU to NZ are basically back to normal as the spiel is given by the crew just before descent however smart gates in NZ did have an extra question over the weekend asking if you'd been in NSW or something like that (can't remember the exact wording).

 

[Beano]

I don't remember seeing the "sorry" video, or is that past now?

 

[milehighclub]

I don't remember seeing the "sorry" video, or is that past now?

There is a video still but it no longer says sorry 3732 times.

 

[henrus]

Video has been updated, details of requirements can be found here (and you can find the video on the right):

Guidelines for airline and aircraft operators arriving in Australian territory - DAFF

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, last updated 27 September 2022.Guidelines for airline and aircraft operators arriving in Australian territory includes information on pre-arrival reporting requirements, pratique, approval to land aircraft in Australia, the aircraft...

www.agriculture.gov.au

Quite easy to miss as it's more boring than the last.

 

[Beano]

There is a video still but it no longer says sorry 3732 times.

Probably not 3732 but felt like it.

 

[Berlin]

Probably not 3732 but felt like it.

I am so glad it's gone- I hated the guy who sprayed his wood and the idiot who pretended the fish has been flowing into his luggage. Airlines trying to be funny can (rarely) go well but most of the time is just cringe worthy. Double shots, anyone?

 

[henrus]

I am so glad it's gone- I hated the guy who sprayed his wood and the idiot who pretended the fish has been flowing into his luggage. Airlines trying to be funny can (rarely) go well but most of the time is just cringe worthy.

Airlines didn't make the "just declare it" Australian arrival video. That was made by the Australian government themselves.

 

[Berlin]

Airlines didn't make the "just declare it" Australian arrival video. That was made by the Australian government themselves.

Fair enough. Could have been made by Air NZ or Qantas though- exactly the same kinda cringe if you ask me.

 

[Beano]

In QF lounge. Arrived about 7:30 am. Airport quiet as was lounge then got busy for about an hour and quiet now as planes depart. When asked was offered fizz, Pomeroy and I think Krug. No spirits or wine and beer, but it is the morning. Roped off area for Chairmans Lounge and P1. On an evening flight in two weeks time so see what happens. Same crew at desk but not sure about the serving staff; i'm not a morning flyer usually. I have heard David has gone. Nestor in fine form.

 

[henrus]

Having taken a few flights across the Tasman recently, the one surprising thing is how easy it is. I transited onto a domestic flight and Sydney T3 was a complete zoo in comparison.

Arriving/departing both Australia and New Zealand seems faster than before (due to lack of passengers and flights) and the lack of health checks is surprising given when the bubble opened we were warned there would be more plus things would take longer.

NZ has random temperature checks whilst arriving in Australia seems to often have nothing, in Sydney yesterday they (NSW health) didn't do anything. Yes, there are the online declarations but apart from being asked at check-in if you've done them, no one has any interest in checking. Amazingly there were more checks getting off an SYD-OOL flight as QLD police wanted to know if you'd been to any of the exposure sites in Sydney.

At airport like BNE, SYD (and I assume MEL) there is a noticeable difference given the setup for green/red flights however if you're flying between airports that don't take other international flights like OOL-CHC then you'd be hard-pressed to find anything different in the experience (yes, CHC takes 3 per week but they haven't changed anything for that one SQ flight).

Notably (and contrary to the incorrect information provided onboard who said to take a train or taxi), In Sydney Qantas is operating a landside terminal transfer bus (operated by Skybus but Qantas branded). These depart outside the seamless transfer area every 15 minutes (starting from the hour so 00, 15, 30 ,45) and drop off at the departure level of T3. The old Qantas seamless transfer facility has been turned into a NSW vaccination centre and a few people actually walked in with their bags looking to transfer before being told to get out.

 

[Berlin]

Notably (and contrary to the incorrect information provided onboard who said to take a train or taxi), In Sydney Qantas is operating a landside terminal transfer bus (operated by Skybus but Qantas branded). These depart outside the seamless transfer area every 15 minutes (starting from the hour so 00, 15, 30 ,45) and drop off at the departure level of T3. The old Qantas seamless transfer facility has been turned into a NSW vaccination centre and a few people actually walked in with their bags looking to transfer before being told to get out.

Thanks for the heads up- I'm doing an AKL-SYD-OOL transfer in a couple of weeks time and was wondering how this will work. So that transfer bus you are talking about leaves just outside the arrivals at SYD international or are there signs guiding me to the right spot? Thanks again, very useful.

 

[henrus]

I'm doing an AKL-SYD-OOL transfer in a couple of weeks time and was wondering how this will work. So that transfer bus you are talking about leaves just outside the arrivals at SYD international or are there signs guiding me to the right spot?

You'll need to collect bags upon arrival similar to previous, clear customs/immigration, and then head towards the seamless transfer. There are absolutely no signs (except for the old ones pointing to the seamless transfer area), I decided to walk outside but you can still walk through the terminal and out the end as if you were heading to the old seamless transfer entry. Basically at the door of the old facility, there are bus bays on the left, and one of the bays (number 15 from memory) has "Qantas Staff only" written on it, that's where the bus picks you up. The bus had "T1/T3 transfer" written on the front electronic display and is either a white or red bus.

I'd say there were about 10 people on it which was surprising given the announcement on our flight said if you're transferring take a taxi or train but perhaps on other flights they told people or people just headed for the facility assuming it would be open. Despite the sign saying "Qantas staff only" the driver confirmed that it was the correct bus. You have to take your own luggage on this bus.

The trip takes about 10 minutes (seemed to get every red light) and then you get dumped at the eastern side of the drop off area. You've then got to walk to the other end to the service desk to drop any luggage as the automated systems won't accept the tags already on your bag from NZ (I tried, don't waste your time).

I'll let my wonderful paint skills explain, the red X is where you want to go.
International terminal bus:


T3 drop off (Blue X), Service Desk (Red X).

 

[Berlin]

I'll let my wonderful paint skills explain, the red X is where you want to go.
International terminal bus:
View attachment 247980

T3 drop off (Blue X), Service Desk (Red X).
View attachment 247982

Thank you so much- this is indeed “wonderful”! Even I should be able to follow these instructions.

And to Qantas/SYD airport: Why, oh why???

 

[henrus]

And to Qantas/SYD airport: Why, oh why???

It kind of makes sense for Qantas. I imagine running the seamless transfer facility cost a fair amount of money. They always had a couple of staff members manning the facility, security costs, the rent and then the airside bus. They've been able to outsource this operation to SkyBus who would do it for a much cheaper price given it's now just two buses and no other staff. Qantas' biggest fail has been not telling their customers about it, there is one page buried online that makes mention of it otherwise most who catch it just stumble across it looking for the old facility (which I imagine the NSW gov is now paying the rent for as they use it for COVID jabs).

Sydney airport could bring back the T-Bus. They can then offer the international car park for domestic travelers at cheaper rates. This is what BNE has now done and it means the terminal transfer bus doubles as the transfer bus and the carpark bus.