Changes too close to call!

[jfabian]

I have an upcoming trip to South America. Flying ADL-MEL-SYD-SCL on QF then SCL-LIM-BOG on LA (all on Jul 13) (why fly direct, when you can connect!)

At the time of booking the cheaper deal was ADL-MEL-SYD-SCL rather than ADL-SYD-SCL and only added a small amount of time, considering I have no lounge access, might as well sit on a plane than sit in a terminal...

ANYWAY, since booking on 13 Oct the flights have changed times 3 times already, initially booked with a 1 hr stop in mel and a 2 hr stop in syd, now I am left with a only a 1 hour stop in syd.

Original details...



Worrying changes...

QF418 MEL-SYD now arrives at 1025 with QF27 leaving at 1125, quite a tight connection for Dom-Int I think... But is it too tight?
Not sure how I will go with changes, considering I booked it as a Red-e deal.

Onwards sameday travel from SCL departs at 1455 allowing a stopover of 2h50m.

QF travel is on one PNR and LA is on another, but hoping to check bags through to BOG from ADL. Is this possible?

Any thoughts, comments, ideas welcome...

 

[opusman]

1 hour is tight for a SYD domestic to international connection. I would call and see if you can switch to a direct ADL-SYD flight.

 

[serfty]

60 Minutes meets MCT QF(dom)->QF(Int) at SYD, but I would be strait off to gate 15 and the transfer bus on arrival into T3.


opusman's suggestion is good.

If not successful there, try at checkin in ADL, or even at MEL (if there's an 8:30am MEL-SYD flight that day).

Results from ExpertFlyer.com

Minimum Connect Times:
Connecting at SYD
Incoming airline QF
Outgoing airline QF
Flight type Domestic to International

STANDARD.D/D...D/I...I/D...I/I.
ONLINE    .30  1.00  1.15  1.00
OFFLINE   .30  1.00  1.15  1.00
** OR * ARE ALL
QF-QF DI  2.00 FLT 5000 - 5999 - FLT   21 ALL - NRT 
  TRM 2  - 1  
QF-QF DI  1.30 FLT    1 -  199 - FLT  321 TRM 1  - 1  
QF-QF DI  1.30 FLT  300 -  399 - FLT  321 TRM 1  - 1  
QF-QF DI  1.15 FLT    1 - 2999 - FLT  337 
QF-QF DI  2.00 FLT 5000 - 5999 - FLT  321 
QF-QF DI  1.15 ALL  - FLT   21 ALL - NRT 
QF-QF DI  1.30 ALL  - FLT  389 TRM 3  - 1  
QF-QF DI  1.30 ALL  - FLT  313 TRM 2  - ** 
QF-QF DI  1.15 ALL  - FLT  313 TRM 3  - ** 
QF-QF DI  1.15 ALL  - FLT  367 TRM 3  - ** 
QF-QF DI  1.30 ALL  - FLT  321 
QF-QF DI  2.00 ALL  - FLT  375 
QF-QF DI  2.00 FLT  200 -  299 - FLT  300 -  399 TRM 1  - 1  
QF-QF DI  2.00 FLT 5000 - 5999 - FLT  200 -  299 TRM 2  - 1  
QF-QF DI  1.45 ALL  - FLT  200 -  299 TRM 2  - 1  
QF-QF DI  1.30 ALL  - FLT  200 -  299 TRM 3  - 1  
QF-QF DI  2.00 FLT  200 -  299 - ALL  TRM 1  - 1  
QF-QF DI  2.00 FLT 5000 - 5999 - ALL  TRM 2  - 1  
QF-QF DI  1.15 ALL  - FLT 8000 - 8999 TRM 3  - ** 
QF-QF DI  1.15 ALL - NAN TRM 3  - 1  
QF-QF DI  1.30 ARM - ALL TRM 3  - 1  
QF-QF DI  1.30 LDH - ALL TRM 3  - 1  
QF-QF DI  1.00 TRM 1  - 1  
QF-QF DI  1.15 TRM 2  - 1  
QF-QF DI  1.00 TRM 3  - 1  
**-QF DI  1.45 ALL  - FLT  200 -  299 TRM 2  - 1  
**-QF DI  1.30 ALL  - FLT  200 -  299 TRM 3  - 1  
**-QF DI  1.00 TRM 1  - 1  
**-QF DI  1.45 TRM 2  - 1  
QF-** DI  2.00 FLT 5000 - 5999 - ALL  TRM ** - 1  
QF-** DI  1.30 TRM 2  - ** 
QF-** DI  1.15 TRM 3  - **

 

[juddles]

..Onwards sameday travel from SCL departs at 1455 allowing a stopover of 2h50m.

QF travel is on one PNR and LA is on another, but hoping to check bags through to BOG from ADL. Is this possible?

Any thoughts, comments, ideas welcome...

Hey there, a couple of points re Santiago:

1.- 2hrs 50 is heaps of time - it is a relatively small and simple layout airport.

2.- I am not sure if they will check your bags all the way through, but try to do that! If they dont, you will have to clear customs/immigration in SCL, and as an Australian citizen that will cost you a $120 USD ¨reciprocity fee¨. This is valid for 3 months in case you reenter the country - so if you are including Chile in your overall trip this is going to happen anyway.

3.- I travel between Colombia (where I live) and Australia a fair bit on that ¨southern route¨, and have lived in Chile too, so if you need any advice let me know

 

[BD1959]

Hi jfabian,

I'd say 60mins DOM-INT at SYD is far too tight, regardless of what the MCT says; I certainly would never deliberately book one. 10mins delay to inbound, (supposedly) up to 10mins wait for bus, time to get from seat to Gate 15, potential queues at security, potential queues at immigration, QFi like you boarded - what? - 10mins prior to departure?

I'd call QF and ask them - given the ticketed connection has come in by an hour - whether they would guarantee to hold the 27 should you hit any potential pitfalls, or whether they have a process to expedite you from T3 to T1 if it's looking tight (I think I know the likely response to that one). Hopefully they then see the risk and move you to a direct flight.

With respect to the question of through-checking bags, this page is still available on the QF Website so I assume that it is possible. However others may have more recent experience.

Regards,

BD

 

[jfabian]

Thanks for the advice guys, from what I can see on KVS tool, the available options are to stay on QF670 to MEL and then get QF416 to SYD (with a 40 min connection in MEL) and then arrive in SYD at 0955 with a 1.5 hour connection. Or press for them to put me on the direct flight to SYD and arrive at 0820.... a 4 hour connection. Maybe even leaves the opportunity to meet someone in the lounge.

It is strange though how the flight time somehow increased by 1 hour because the arrival time hasn't changed! Maybe flying slower to cut fuel costs?

Hopefully I can get them to book the luggage through, but I will have to pay the reciprocity tax as we are staying in SCL for a few days on the way home.

 

[boomy]

I would call and consult with QF, letting them know the original booking gave you 2hr connection time in SYD and due to changes from their end it's only 1hr now (which is too risky IMO). They may agree to move your MEL-SYD flight to 8.30 or just rebook a new ADL-SYD direct flight with no extra charge.

 

[opusman]

It is strange though how the flight time somehow increased by 1 hour because the arrival time hasn't changed! Maybe flying slower to cut fuel costs?

Most likely updated to take DST (or lack there-of) into account.

 

[Mattg]

I have had no problems in the past getting Qantas to move me to a different flight when a schedule change by them has caused issues such as yours. Just give them a call.

 

[RooFlyer]

<snip>
2.- I am not sure if they will check your bags all the way through, but try to do that! If they dont, you will have to clear customs/immigration in SCL, and as an Australian citizen that will cost you a $120 USD ¨reciprocity fee¨. This is valid for 3 months in case you reenter the country - so if you are including Chile in your overall trip this is going to happen anyway. hile too, so if you need any advice let me <snip>

Apologies for o/t but its vaguely relevant ... juddles, that Chile reciprocity fee is a new one for me (looks accusingly at TA); I knew there's one for Argentina, but wasn't expecting the Chilean one. Hopefully not for Brazil, Peru or Ecuador?

I pay the Argentine fee on-line; how does one pay the Chilean one?

 

[footy99]

Apologies for o/t but its vaguely relevant ... juddles, that Chile reciprocity fee is a new one for me (looks accusingly at TA); I knew there's one for Argentina, but wasn't expecting the Chilean one. Hopefully not for Brazil, Peru or Ecuador?

I pay the Argentine fee on-line; how does one pay the Chilean one?

You pay it on arrival at Santiago airport. If you enter overland, they don't charge it.

And no charge for Peru or Ecuador. Brazil you need to pay for the visa.

 

[juddles]

You pay it on arrival at Santiago airport....

When you get off the plane, you walk into the terminal and go down a flight of stairs to get to immigration. Instead of heading straight forward from the stairs to the immigration queues, hang a hard left at the bottom of the stairs and you will see a couple of booths where you pay it. I made the mistake once of getting in the immigration queue first. They let you wait then just send you back to pay it :/

 

[jfabian]

So just got off the phone with QF. They changed me to QF416 which arrives in SYD at 0955. Although this leaves me on the MCT @ MEL dom-dom I think 40 mins is not out of reach but still makes me a little anxious.

They wouldn't put me on a direct flight because we were still within the MCT.

I dont think it was adjusting for the DST because otherwise the arrival time into SYD would have been changed.

They confirmed onward baggage and they will be able to issue boarding passes for all the flights as well.

Juddles, do you know what currencies are accepted for the reciprocity fee in Chile?

 

[jfabian]

Also if there is a magical time such as T-80 when all the seats open up to a NB on LA flights?

 

[juddles]

.....They confirmed onward baggage and they will be able to issue boarding passes for all the flights as well.

Juddles, do you know what currencies are accepted for the reciprocity fee in Chile?

They accepted a credit card last time I went through, but most people pay USD cash.

As far as getting all your boarding cards, I strongly urge you to speak to LAN once you arrive in Santiago and show them your boarding pass - there is a few counters IIRC on the lower of the two floors, still airside. The reason I say this is that on one trip SYD-SCL-BOG, I got our boarding passes issued in Australia (and luggage checked in the whole way), but when I went to board the flight from SCL, they had bumped us off the flight because we had not checked in!! Even though I was clutching a J boarding pass!! Never had any trouble with the luggage though.

 

[katiebell]

I would call QF again and see if another agent will change you to ADL-SYD as MEL can get delays due to fog in winter and, if on a QF approved connection they will be paying the costs of the missed connection. Not a great way to start a trip

If this fails I would make the connection known to the CSM on boarding so that your disemberkation can be expedited, messages radio-ed ahead in case of delays etc.

Other airlines can be very good at expediting transfers for late inbound flights. This was not my experience last time I had the misfortune to transfer QFd to QFi: a significant reason why I will pay more to avoid the SYD shambles.

Good luck!

 

[BD1959]

Relevant to this thread: does anyone know when the bus reverts to 20min intervals from 10min?

Regards,

BD

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Mid morning and later at night.
You could phone QF up and ask on all our behalves!
But it can still go pear shaped, even if the bus is "supposed" to leave in 10 mins.
Don't believe the staff member who scans your BP (issued in ADL, (lets say) at SYDd going to the bus gate 15.
The bus can sit there, for another 5 or 10 mins, even if the bus driver is standing there.
For the OP, I would really try to even get to SYD the previous night. Edit: I see, they won't change you ADL - SYD direct..., ok, it will be hard this time round, even getting to SYD earlier, but if there is a next time, try to get to overnight in SYD. $$$ I know, but better seeing this is a big trip.
Playing around ADL - MEL - SYD - SCL is fine, on spreadsheet or on paper planning, but as you have seen, QF can change things to a drastic degree.
Ok, some of you don't like my waffle.
I did ADL - SYD - WLG or CHC last year, in J. Not exactly sure which one I did not make it to the QP, either of WLG or CHC anyways, (I did them both a few days apart).
The plane I got was that 717, left ADL at 13.45, got to SYD at 16.00, plane to WLG/CHC was to go at 17.45 or so.
The bus sat at SYDd till about 16.20! I was worried, a lot of others on the bus were as well.
Made it to SYDi at 16.45, ran from bus up that long stair case, up to Immi and int security, did not make it to use the QPi as I didn't have time, though I had QP membership.
From now on, as I plan to keep my QP (pay after my SG runs out), I will do a separate PNR, even if I have to fly Y ADL - SYD the night before, and do a J SYD - NZ!
It does help that you will be given a BP for ADL - SYD - SCL, and an OPC in ADL, bypassing SYDi check in, and that the QF bus goes airside, but still, a lot too much can go wrong.

 

[jfabian]

I was considering asking them for preferred seat selection to ensure a speedy disembarkment from the flight. The woman I spoke to said they wouldn't be holding QF27 unless there was a significant number of people trying to make that connection. Missing the flight isn't an option for me as I have onward travel the same day. Considering the flight has changed 3 times already, I am sure it will be moved earlier yet again.... should have stuck with the 418 , not confirmed changes, and then asked for a re-routing when they move it in closer than the MCT in a month or so.

 

[opusman]

I would try calling back and argue your case for a direct flight.