Chauffeur and Lounge question

[jetcam]

Hi, I am a total newbie so bear with me.

I have used a heap of points (90,000) to book classic rewards fare in J for BNE-MEL arriving at 8pm and EK F for MEL-SIN departing at 7pm the following day. it was the same amount of points to book direct BNE-SIN but departure time was 2am and i needed to do a few things in melbourne anyway so i figured i'd just do that. so my questions are:

1. which complimentary chauffeur service am I eligible to use and for what leg? I'll need to get from home to BNE, then from MEL to hotel, then next day, hotel to MEL and SIN to hotel. can I use it for all 4? Or just 2, if so it's better value for me to use it for hotel to MEL and from SIN to hotel. Do i book this on Q website or on EK website?

2. Lounges. Can i get access to qantas club at BNE domestic if my next onward flight (the following day) is in F? When at MEL, which lounge do i get access too, QF or EK? Can i check out both? if only one, which is better? I think with EK i can board direct from the lounge? i dont have QC membership and no status.

thanks is advance.

 

[eminere]

Is your MEL-SIN flight QF or EK coded?

 

[Kangol]

Don't know about the first question, but for the second:
In BNE, you will have access to both QP and J lounge because you are flying J. You can check out both.
In MEL, you will have access to QF J, F and EK lounges because you are flying EK F. You can check out all three. QF F is probably the best.

 

[trixydoza]

which complimentary chauffeur service am I eligible to use and for what leg? I'll need to get from home to BNE, then from MEL to hotel, then next day, hotel to MEL and SIN to hotel. can I use it for all 4?

Yes, you should be able to book four transfers. Have you tried booking them under Manage Your Booking on the Qantas website?

 

[kermatu]

As trixydoza says, have a look at options on Manage My Booking. I would have thought only two transfers would be available (1 to Brisbane airport; 2 from Changi to hotel). But if you get all 4 or even 3, that's pretty good - not a scenario I have faced so just don't know.

Lounge in Brisbane will be the domestic business lounge - sometimes very crowded so the regular lounge next door can actually be better. In Melbourne, the QF F lounge is available (irrespective of QF or EK code) and while the EK lounges are good, the QF F lounges (in Melbourne and Sydney) are better.

 

[kermatu]

And in Melbourne the EK and QF F lounges are next door so no difference in access to gates. There is no direct boarding from EK lounge in Melbourne (that's a feature of the lounge in Dubai only, as far as I'm aware).

 

[eminere]

Well according to the Emirates Chauffeur-drive terms and conditions:

• Qantas codeshare flights operated by Emirates (with a QF flight number) between Asia and Australia/New Zealand are not eligible for our Chauffeur-drive service. If a customer would like to request Chauffeur-drive for flights between Asia and Australia/New Zealand, they must be booked on an Emirates operated flight (with an EK flight number).

So I imagine the flight number on your ticket makes a material difference. Would be interested to hear real-world examples of whether this is true as I am also thinking of booking SYD-MEL-SIN in J with the latter leg on Emirates metal.

 

[eminere]

And in Melbourne the EK and QF F lounges are next door so no difference in access to gates. There is no direct boarding from EK lounge in Melbourne (that's a feature of the lounge in Dubai only, as far as I'm aware).

I believe there is direct boarding from the BNE Emirates lounge as well.

 

[trixydoza]

I imagine the flight number on your ticket makes a material difference.

OP booked a Classic Award, which will be on an EK flight number.

I have four transfers booked each for two upcoming SIN-BNE-CBR trips, and have also done it before with CBR-MEL-SIN trips.

 

[eminere]

OP booked a Classic Award, which will be on an EK flight number.

Ah I didn't know Classic Awards book automatically into the operating airline's flight number. I thought they might be similar to cash fares where you can select the QF codeshare.

So you book the Chauffeur-drive through QF's MMB and not EK's?

 

[trixydoza]

So you book the Chauffeur-drive through QF's MMB and not EK's?

Yes indeedy.

 

[jetcam]

Yes indeedy.

Thanks very much for your help.

In QF MMB when i go to the Chauffeur section, it has a drop down box for Transfer to the Airport and the BNE-MEL and MEL-SIN are available. If i select and book one, will the other disappear? Or if i go back into it should the other flight still be there?

It also lets me book on the EK website but only for the MEL-SIN leg. But are you saying i should just book them all through the QF site?

 

[kermatu]

From accounts on this site (and my own experience) booking chauffeur drive on the QF site is fine and easily picks up services to/from an EK flight. What are the options for "From the Airport"?

 

[jetcam]

From accounts on this site (and my own experience) booking chauffeur drive on the QF site is fine and easily picks up services to/from an EK flight. What are the options for "From the Airport"?

Basically the same in the "From the airport" as the "To the airport". 2 options in the dropdown box, one BNE-MEL and one MEL-SIN. i dont want to book one in case the other disappears after i book it. i've read that it is a bit of a pain to change the pickup details etc.

 

[kermatu]

That's great. I am surprised you get the Melb pickups but if it's showing on the site and given others have said similar options have been used, I reckon it's safe to book them all. I have never heard of flight choices disappearing after one has been picked. They aren't 'choices' as such - when you select the box it shows all flights eligible, it's not that you pick only one.

But if you want to be really safe book the one you want most first! Taxi to Singapore city cheaper than to Melbourne city, so I'd be going for Melb options.

 

[jetcam]

That's great. I am surprised you get the Melb pickups but if it's showing on the site and given others have said similar options have been used, I reckon it's safe to book them all. I have never heard of flight choices disappearing after one has been picked. They aren't 'choices' as such - when you select the box it shows all flights eligible, it's not that you pick only one.

But if you want to be really safe book the one you want most first! Taxi to Singapore city cheaper than to Melbourne city, so I'd be going for Melb options.

OK Great - that worked. awesome. 4 chauffers booked through MMB.

Next question.

I want to take advantage of the first lounge in MEL. how early can i check in? If i check in luggage at BNE, can it go all the way through to SIN? so i dont have to collect at and re check it in the next day? Is there some sort of 24 hour rule?

 

[kermatu]

Good to hear.

On luggage, my belief is no, Melbourne can't store it overnight. You will need to collect and re-check the next day (even though on the same booking). I don't know Emirates opening times for check-in. Even though you'll be able to visit the QF lounge, you'll check-in at Emirates so will be up to their check-in opening time for that flight. There's probably info on its website or on these forums to give you an answer. The available times for booking the chauffeur are also a guide.

 

[eminere]

For Emirates operated flights you can arrive at the airport up to 3 hours before departure time.