Connection Transfer Time – Canberra international to domestic

[splashin!]

Hello all,

What is the minimum connection time for Canberra international to a domestic flight. I am on a Qatar flight landing in Canberra (from Doha) at 8.35am and catching a 9.55am flight to Sydney with Qantas.

One Qantas consultant advised I will not make it and my luggage will not be interlined since they are seperate bookings.

Another said she could link my tickets and make a note for the Qatar checkin staff in Berlin. Also, that there plenty of time to go though immigration in Canberra (They usually allow 1 hr).

Not sure what to do as I have a 9.55am ticket and also booked a 1pm award ticket after speaking to the first Qantas Consultant!

Thanks!

 

[kermatu]

Do you need to come to Canberra? The Qatar flight to Canberra actually stops first in Sydney. If you don't need to come to Canberra can you try and change your booking?

If you do need to come to Canberra first, it's a small airport, with international and domestic in the one small terminal. There are lots of flghts between Canberra and Sydney every day so you should be fine. I think 80 minutes would be enough for Canberra if your flight is on time, irrespective of interlining (which is not really much help as you need to collect bags in Canberra anyway.

This is a new route and I have not flown it so all the above is just based on general info and experience.

 

[splashin!]

Do you need to come to Canberra? The Qatar flight to Canberra actually stops first in Sydney. If you don't need to come to Canberra can you try and change your booking?

If you do need to come to Canberra first, it's a small airport, with international and domestic in the one small terminal. There are lots of flghts between Canberra and Sydney every day so you should be fine. I think 80 minutes would be enough for Canberra if your flight is on time, irrespective of interlining (which is not really much help as you need to collect bags in Canberra anyway.

This is a new route and I have not flown it so all the above is just based on general info and experience.

Thanks Kermatu,

Unfortunately, I am unable to get off at Sydney due to the fare:/

The Qantas consultant said she could interlined the bag so there is not need to pick it up from Canberra but it seems that may not be the case after all! So 80min may not be enough to go through custom, collect bag and check in again....

 

[kermatu]

Thanks Kermatu,

Unfortunately, I am unable to get off at Sydney due to the fare:/

The Qantas consultant said she could interlined the bag so there is not need to pick it up from Canberra but it seems that may not be the case after all! So 80min may not be enough to go through custom, collect bag and check in again....

Is your 9:55 flight on the same ticket as the flight from Doha?

 

[splashin!]

Is your 9:55 flight on the same ticket as the flight from Doha?

Its a seperate booking. However the Qantas consultant said she could 'link it'. So the Qatar Berlin Check-in staff will see the notes and tag the bags all the way back to Sydney.

 

[dajop]

The Qantas consultant said she could interlined the bag so there is not need to pick it up from Canberra but it seems that may not be the case after all!

Through checking or interlining luggage is not important, as you will need to collect your bags to clear customs and quarantine before taking to QF to recheck, irrespective of whether the bags are "tagged through" to Sydney or not. What the issue is if you are on separate tickets and the QR flight is running late, you may have to forfeit the CBR-SYD flight if it is not a flexible fare.

 

[kermatu]

OK. If your flight is on time you will be fine I believe. The extra stop in Sydney makes me a bit worried about timeliness as Sydney is busy that time of day and delays are very common. Canberra is very quiet though.

An alternative would be to try and move your 9:55 flight to the next one (usually around 11am). If not, you have the backup of the even later award flight I guess.

Others may correct me, but I'm pretty sure the issue of interlining is a bit irrelevant as you will almost certainly need to pick up the bags and go back upstairs to the Qantas checkin area in Canberra. Linking the flights in Berlin will help though.

 

[splashin!]

Through checking or interlining luggage is not important, as you will need to collect your bags to clear customs and quarantine before taking to QF to recheck, irrespective of whether the bags are "tagged through" to Sydney or not. What the issue is if you are on separate tickets and the QR flight is running late, you may have to forfeit the CBR-SYD flight if it is not a flexible fare.

Thanks Dajob, I think there is just too much risk with it. I probably need to forfeit the ticket anyway. It was a sale fare (so non refundable/high change fee) So maybe better to just keep the 1pm flight and relax.

 

[splashin!]

OK. If your flight is on time you will be fine I believe. The extra stop in Sydney makes me a bit worried about timeliness as Sydney is busy that time of day and delays are very common. Canberra is very quiet though.

An alternative would be to try and move your 9:55 flight to the next one (usually around 11am). If not, you have the backup of the even later award flight I guess.

Others may correct me, but I'm pretty sure the issue of interlining is a bit irrelevant as you will almost certainly need to pick up the bags and go back upstairs to the Qantas checkin area in Canberra. Linking the flights in Berlin will help though.

Thanks Kermatu, yes I tried to change it but there were only flexifares left. It worked out better to just use the points instead of shelling out the $90 change fee plus $200 fare difference! My bad...I read my arrival time wrong when making that booking!

 

[harvyk]

Well this is different...
Canberra airport is tiny, I doubt immi will be a concern, and given on exit you'd simply walk upstairs and drop your bags off that's not going to be a concern either.

The big risk is delay's and fog, a delay will cause concern, esp as technically it's an unneeded leg.

 

[kermatu]

Thanks Kermatu, yes I tried to change it but there were only flexifares left. It worked out better to just use the points instead of shelling out the $90 change fee plus $200 fare difference! My bad...I read my arrival time wrong when making that booking!

If you miss your 9:55 flight5 you might be able to get on an earlier flight (from your 1pm one) if you ask nicely. The CBR-SYD flights bounce around a lot - especially on weekdays - and they are generally pretty accommodating of changes (although I have high status which certainly helps) but no harm in asking.

Relax is the best advice. You'll get to Sydney the roundabout way one way or the other!

 

[RoMambai]

I've taken the SQ flight from SIN several times and I have breezed through immigration in minutes every time. The CBR formalities won't be a problem provided your flight arrives on time.

All things being equal, 80 minutes should be enough time.

 

[kermatu]

and I imagine there'd be even fewer people coming off the Doha/Sydney flight.

 

[Himeno]

CBR only has 2 international flights, the SQ SIN-CBR-WLG-CBR-SIN (which is changing to SIN-SYD-CBR-SIN soon) and the new QR DOH-SYD-CBR-SYD-DOH. The immigration area is only manned for arrivals/departures as needed according to the flight times of those 2 flights. Dealing with border formalities in CBR won't be an issue.

You'll come out of immigration at gate A on the left side of the map, on the VA side of the terminal.
https://www.canberraairport.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/LOWERLEVEL-ARRIVALS-2017.pdf
Walk across the arrivals floor to the escalator in front of the QF baggage carousels and go upstairs. This will put you at the QF check in area.

The official min connect time at CBR is 1 hour for connections involving an international flight (30 minutes for domestic-domestic connections)