Any chance of making 11am depart flight ADL on an 11am arriving?

[ozstamps]

Fairly slim I know, but in ADL there are only 2 or 3 Virgin gates and 30 seconds from one to other.

We will have boarding passes issued that day, have no luggage, and we are arriving business class, so will be first off the inward plane.

We all know flight times are padded 15 mins or so and 11am should be dead quiet in ADL re arrival ATC clearance.

ADL-SYD is on a totally separate PNR to inward flight.

The next flight ADL-SYD is 4 hours later, so if we miss this 11am should be able to talk ourselves on that hopefully as Plats, but even if the 11am is 10 mins late departing I suspect we will make it if we hold BP. Sitting for 4 hours in a lounge after a long flight is never fun if it can be avoided,

We originally had a smooth connection MEL-ADL-SYD, but Virgin moved forward the HKG-MEL flight by an hour so we missed the earlier flight we had booked from day #1.

Thoughts? Anyone ever made one, on such a tight timing?

 

[davidj]

so if we miss this 11am should be able to talk ourselves on that hopefully as Plats

I would be 'banking' on this (if it is even possible), or a plan B in case this doesn't happen.

Anything can happen with your incoming flight (delayed etc), but same can be said for departing flight.

Where are you arriving from?

 

[RooFlyer]

Edited - redundant.

Even if you arrive 'on time' I wonder if the VA system will offload you as a 'no show' if you don't board by the time boarding closes (usually 10 mins prior to scheduled departure)? So even if the air bridge is still connected you may be denied boarding unless you can talk them into re-loading you. That said, I've had the latter happen on QF.

 

[juddles]

Wow! This is truly "pushing the envelope"!!

To be clear, you mean that the scheduled arrival time of the first flight is at 11:00hrs, and the scheduled departure of the second is also 11:00hrs?

I understand that a 4 hr wait is a pain, but I rate your chances of success at about 1 in 50. At best. I am not sure about the "padding" concept - any padding is there because they know they often need it. Effectively, if everything runs perfectly, you will be stepping out the door of your first flight exactly 15 minutes after they have closed the second flight.

And if you do miss the second, I would expect that if they discover that you intentionally booked a 0 minute connection, you may not get much friendship

If you do decide to take the gamble, kudos to you, and please let us know how it went - I always admire audacity! And I truly share your hate of lengthy stopovers

 

[ozstamps]

Where are you arriving from?

HKG-MEL-ADL. The ADL-SYD is on a different PNR as stated but I will hold a boarding pass issued in MEL.

 

[mannej]

Can you throw the MEL-ADL leg away, or are you using it for the SC’s?

I would have thought you’d have better availability of flights to get to SYD from MEL?

 

[hossein_au]

Ho

HKG-MEL-ADL. The ADL-SYD is on a different PNR as stated but I will hold a boarding pass issued in MEL.

How much time do you have in MEL? Maybe you can change your MEL-ADL-SYD flights to a direct MEL-SYS flight? I know QF is more sympathetic than VA in these situations, but it might be an alternative (plan b, or c, or d, ...).

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Flights may be padded eg BNE/SYD may allow 1.30hr even if the actual time in the air is around one hour but that's more for the taxiing out from the gate until take-off then taxiing to the gate after landing, not so they can pushback late waiting for fail to board pax.

As it's a separate pnr ADL/SYD, VA won't even know you're flying inbound on another flight & if they do try to call your mobile to ask if you're still travelling your phone will be switched off as you'll still be flying.

 

[ozstamps]

Ho

How much time do you have in MEL? Maybe you can change your MEL-ADL-SYD flights to a direct MEL-SYD flight? I know QF is more sympathetic than VA in these situations, but it might be an alternative (plan b, or c, or d, ...).

Maybe that might be possible I guess?

Our paid Biz Saver tickets are ADL-MEL-HGK-MEL-ADL

Virgin did recently change the HKG departure time, so are really at fault for our original connection now not synching, so maybe I can talk them in MEL, into issuing a MEL-SYD and not a MEL-ADL?

There is no NEED whatever for us to go to ADL, other than that is where the ticket terminates, and it garners a heap of SC for MEL-ADL in paid Biz. The ADL-HKG was lower $$s than SYD-HKG of course, and if fares desk start to re-price the final leg, it may get messy.

However as we know day of flight changes at airports give them a fair bit of discretion. Maybe it will work?

ozbeachbabe I think has some first hand input on how these things might play out on the day with carriers?

 

[kamchatsky]

Maybe that might be possible I guess?

Our paid Biz Saver tickets are ADL-MEL-HGK-MEL-ADL

Virgin did recently change the HKG departure time, so are really at fault for our original connection now not synching, so maybe I can talk them in MEL, into issuing a MEL-SYD and not a MEL-ADL?

There is no NEED whatever for us to go to ADL, other than that is where the ticket terminates, and it garners a heap of SC for MEL-ADL in paid Biz. The ADL-HKG was lower $$s than SYD-HKG of course, and if fares desk start to re-price the final leg, it may get messy.

However as we know day of flight changes at airports give them a fair bit of discretion. Maybe it will work?

ozbeachbabe I think has some first hand input on how these things might play out on the day with carriers?

I seriously don't think you can make the 11am flight. Also we all know the Adelaide VA lounge is quite average and no way I will hang around there for 4 hours.

I would suggest you fly the later flight to Sydney, and during your transit time, you can hire a car to:

- Go to Hahndorf for lunch; or
- Enjoy central market if it opens on the day you travel; or
- Go to the Adelaide Zoo and see the Giant Pandas (only ones in the Southern Hemisphere); or
- Go to Penfolds Magill Estate Cellar Door and restaurant (you may want to take taxi/Uber to go there though); or
- Have a swim at one of the beaches (e.g. Glenelg, Henley Beach, etc).

If you want you may as well fly the 6:25pm flight to Sydney instead of the 3:30pm flight, if you end up doing multiple things on on the list above.

If you are going to be in Adelaide airport, you may as well make the most of the opportunity.

 

[ozstamps]

kamchatsky great tips for folks not often in Adelaide.

(We saw about 50 Giant Pandas in Chengdu a couple months back, all just metres away, so the poor old Adelaide Zoo offering is a little tame!)

I grew up there, have all my family there, and had a day there in ADL a few days earlier, before flying out to HKG.

 

[hossein_au]

Maybe that might be possible I guess?

Our paid Biz Saver tickets are ADL-MEL-HGK-MEL-ADL

Virgin did recently change the HKG departure time, so are really at fault for our original connection now not synching, so maybe I can talk them in MEL, into issuing a MEL-SYD and not a MEL-ADL?

There is no NEED whatever for us to go to ADL, other than that is where the ticket terminates, and it garners a heap of SC for MEL-ADL in paid Biz. The ADL-HKG was lower $$s than SYD-HKG of course, and if fares desk start to re-price the final leg, it may get messy.

However as we know day of flight changes at airports give them a fair bit of discretion. Maybe it will work?

ozbeachbabe I think has some first hand input on how these things might play out on the day with carriers?

In that case, contact VA before your departure. Tell them that they have changed timing of the HKG flight and as a result you will definitely miss ADL-SYD flight you had organised. Get them to change the last leg of your itinerary from MEL-ADL to MEL-SYD. As this all has come about due to the timing change (o.e. beyond your control), I guess they would be more accommodating than if you just wanted to change your flight because you feel like it.

 

[dxwell]

99.99% of human existence (if not more) is spent within our own self-imposed tolerances of time and space.
The most exciting moments in our life is when we challenge or exceed these boundaries. There is no anecdote that starts with "I safely booked an extra 4 hours between flights, just in case".
Ozstamps, for the sake of humanity, please attempt the seemingly impossible: bask in the glory of victory, or repair and relax in defeat in the warm embrace of the amniotic sac that is your lounge.
I have affixed a Golden Horseshoe to the figurative winged horse that will carry you for this trip.








*AFF needs to have an icon that signifies a Sunday afternoon successfully practicing Epicureanism.

 

[hossein_au]

99.99% of human existence (if not more) is spent within our own self-imposed tolerances of time and space.
The most exciting moments in our life is when we challenge or exceed these boundaries. There is no anecdote that starts with "I safely booked an extra 4 hours between flights, just in case".
Ozstamps, for the sake of humanity, please attempt the seemingly impossible: bask in the glory of victory, or repair and relax in defeat in the warm embrace of the amniotic sac that is your lounge.
I have affixed a Golden Horseshoe to the figurative winged horse that will carry you for this trip.


*AFF needs to have an icon that signifies a Sunday afternoon successfully practicing Epicureanism.

I really enjoyed reading your post dxwell.

On a related note, I have actually booked an extra >5+ hours in between my flights in December (arriving and leaving HKG on separate PNRs), just in case

 

[ozstamps]

In that case, contact VA before your departure. Tell them that they have changed timing of the HKG flight and as a result you will definitely miss ADL-SYD flight you had organised. Get them to change the last leg of your itinerary from MEL-ADL to MEL-SYD. As this all has come about due to the timing change (o.e. beyond your control), I guess they would be more accommodating than if you just wanted to change your flight because you feel like it.

Maybe that might be possible I guess?

Our paid Biz Saver tickets are ADL-MEL-HGK-MEL-ADL

Virgin did recently change the HKG departure time, so are really at fault for our original connection now not synching, so maybe I can talk them in MEL, into issuing a MEL-SYD and not a MEL-ADL?

Great tip …. asked Plat line nicely, and they agreed to this. No skin off their nose - a MEL-SYD gives us same SC as MEL-ADL, and gives us less miles I am sure, but very happy with the outcome.

Pays to think outside the square at times, and luckily we will now never know whether an 11am arrival connects with an 11am depart!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

((OT))...
ADL airport is small, maybe 10.30am for an 11am flight, if a person has BP, it can be done, 10.45am for the next 11am flight, might not be able to be done, as they would be ready for departure, sometimes flights I have been on have already done "final doors now closed", a few mins before.
On the other hand, sometimes too, flight departure time goes by, and still sitting at gate, no movement, and the jetway still attached.
Luck of the draw.
But most of the time, 99% unless they hold the plane for what ever reason, (late pax/airport control) with the door still open, 11am for 11am... nope, no luck.

 

[Muppet501st]

VA changed the departure time an hour earlier SYD-HKG for flights next Feb. Booked all on the 1 PNR wer're doing BNE-SYD-HKG , so they left the original connection time around 50mins to transfer @ SYD. Having never done this before and reading others experienced, we asked our agent ( the lovely Alicia ) and moved us to the earlier and first flight of the day. So with any scheduled change, VA should be accomodating to your earlier flights.

 

[CaptJCool]

Audacious but a little reality is ZERO chance even if everything went along perfectly.

We all know there’s buffer time inside the the departure and arrival time but you are relying on early arrival and late departure of the next flight so Perhaps Look up Flight Aware or flight radar to see what the actual arrival and departure are for the two flights

Flight delays, wind resulting in landings finishing at the far end of the runway, tarmac holdups, gate docking delays

Collocated gates in Adelaide but it’s still a short hike if they are 4-6 gates apart ...

It would be an agony if as you were rolling into the gate, the other fligh was pushing back

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

No, not 2 or 3 gates apart, more like as CaptJcool mentioned, if there are no international planes at ADL, it can be a space of 10 gates, Tiger tends to take the most left 3, close to REX, but they can also be taken by Virgin as well, and then up to gate 15/16/17, where QF takes over putting its planes into those gates.
But good to see you have succeeded in doing the near impossible, and "bypassing ADL" this time round and going direct MEL - SYD.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

In that case, contact VA before your departure. Tell them that they have changed timing of the HKG flight and as a result you will definitely miss ADL-SYD flight you had organised. Get them to change the last leg of your itinerary from MEL-ADL to MEL-SYD. As this all has come about due to the timing change (o.e. beyond your control), I guess they would be more accommodating than if you just wanted to change your flight because you feel like it.

My first reactions was "nooooooooooooooo" - never call reservations as they could've repriced the airfare to the higher ex SYD fare level (or at least half of it) which is the whole purpose of booking it ex ADL in the first place. Generally airport staff aren't concerned with pax saying they cannot travel on a sector ie not interested in what fare pax paid, just that they can now use those seats

Great tip …. asked Plat line nicely, and they agreed to this. No skin off their nose - a MEL-SYD gives us same SC as MEL-ADL, and gives us less miles I am sure, but very happy with the outcome.

Pays to think outside the square at times, and luckily we will now never know whether an 11am arrival connects with an 11am depart!

Glad it worked out for you in the end without VA wanting to reassess the fare. Another option (although no longer needed in your case) would be to as VA in HKG to only check you in as far as MEL so you wouldn't even be checked in on the MEL/ADL. That way you can clear customs and proceed to VA domestic checkin as pax simply travelling MEL to SYD.