Is Norfolk Island a Qantas International Destination?

[MEL_Traveller]

Same thing applies to the mileage calculation for award travel SIN-HEL. The actual GCM has it in a lower band than QF charges… so an extra 10k points per ticket. But the mileage is what’s set by QF, not a third party.

 

[Quickstatus]

not much support from this community with my interpretation

The support is not necessarily in providing validation but actually in providing diverse viewpoints, which in my view is much more valuable.

By the way have you included the Loyalty bonus of 50SC per 500SC?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

The reason why Norfolk Island is considered international is very simple really. Any Aussie who has travelled there was left in a state of confusion as to whether it was an international or domestic destination. Well last I checked Australia has 6 states and none of them are called confusion!

 

[justinbrett]

Thanks. I can stand down then and find another topic which to ponder

......nahh, not sure I can walk away that quickly ........

For flights to Norfolk Island, Qantas sells travel insurance. Guess what.......

Issuer: AIG Australia Ltd
Policy: Australian Comprehensive
Destinations: NORFOLK ISLAND, AUSTRALIA

so lucky that nothing happened on my international flight with only domestic cover.......

Some people call domestic flights “internal flights”. And if you went with that, NLK is not internal as it is an external territory. And thus must be international.

Seems like the Americans do the same for GUM-HNL.

GUM-HNL international flight? - FlyerTalk Forums

Practical Travel Safety and Security Issues - GUM-HNL international flight? - I came back to Honolulu today after a trip on the big island and I therefore ventured around the airport and went by the international arrival section. I saw that CO2 from Guam was listed as international arrival? Guam...

www.flyertalk.com

 

[Quickstatus]

If I were to fly to NLK I would carry a passport in case the flight gets diverted to NOU and to facilitate Duty free purchase - though I'm not sure if it is necessary for a "domestic" flight to NLK.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If I were to fly to NLK I would carry a passport in case the flight gets diverted to NOU and to facilitate Duty free purchase - though I'm not sure if it is necessary for a "domestic" flight to NLK.

The Border Force page suggests passport is the preferred method of identification for travel to and from NLK. If no passport there are limited other forms of ID.

 

[Quickstatus]

limited other forms of ID.

Some govt issued photo id like Drivers license OK. Of course this means that children will need passports which practically mean the parents should have them too.

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

the Norfolk Islanders have been treated very badly by Australia which is why they want a restoration of British sovereignty and to be governed as a British Overseas Territory.

 

[GrahamBRI]

The support is not necessarily in providing validation but actually in providing diverse viewpoints, which in my view is much more valuable.

This is certainly acknowledged and appreciated. It gives me heaps of balanced perspective to test my views and what responses I might receive if I did consider taking it further with Qantas (as I expect they will be even more blunt with me).

By the way have you included the Loyalty bonus of 50SC per 500SC?

Yes, I had missed this in my earlier calcs, and is why the 4 credits (x2) was no longer a something as material to me any more.

 

[GrahamBRI]

..... and finally, after lifting up every rock to find material support my (biased) view - Is Norfolk Island a Qantas International Destination.

NO IT IS NOT. IT IS DOMESTIC !!!

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/australian-domestic-flight-network.html?int_cam=au%3Anetwork-and-partner-airlines%3Aarticle%3Adomestic-network%3Aen%3Ann

It is on the Qantas Australian Domestic Route Map!!!!

Thanks all for the wide perspectives on this topic. I can halt my quest with a smile...... albeit with a few less status credits than I would like

 

[justinbrett]

..... and finally, after lifting up every rock to find material support my (biased) view - Is Norfolk Island a Qantas International Destination.

NO IT IS NOT. IT IS DOMESTIC !!!

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/australian-domestic-flight-network.html?int_cam=au%3Anetwork-and-partner-airlines%3Aarticle%3Adomestic-network%3Aen%3Ann

It is on the Qantas Australian Domestic Route Map!!!!

Thanks all for the wide perspectives on this topic. I can halt my quest with a smile...... albeit with a few less status credits than I would like

It does say international fare rules apply.

So I think conclusively it is in between, but since Qantas is treating it as an international flight, for all the pros and cons associated with that, it is what it is.

For one, it certainly doesn’t have the huge price tag of a domestic J flight, and is more similar to other 737 international J fares like AKL or NOU.

the Norfolk Islanders have been treated very badly by Australia which is why they want a restoration of British sovereignty and to be governed as a British Overseas Territory.

Who is “they”? Was there a vote?

The territory was bankrupt and was bailed out by the federal government, who installed taxes and Medicare to make up for it.

I don’t think Britain wants a dependency, in a very literal meaning of that term.

 

[GrahamBRI]

It does say international fare rules apply.

…… yes, another good pickup from you! So I guess, you have suckered me back in off the bench…….

It does say international fare rules apply.

…… but I booked a classic award seat, so classic award fare rules apply - on a Qantas Domestic Route……

Can one of us throw in the towel now.

….okay I will.

 

[CMA222]

................
Actually reading the QF airport guide for NLK I don’t think they know either, it refers to both domestic and international flights.

NLK airport receives flights from New Caledonia (charter) and weekly from NZ (Air Chathams). It is also a common refuel and stop-over point for private international flights heading to Australia. It is an international airport for those flights and AQIS, immigration and customs rules apply.

A passenger from those locations (and the transitting flights) may/will them proceed to an Australian port (SYD or BNE) but must satisfy the AQIS, immigration and customs requirements for entry to Australia.

Flights from SYD and BNE are domestic but operated from the international terminal because of the AQIS requirements at both ends and the Customs requirements for entering Australia for non-Australian/NZ citizens. NLK is duty free principally because of the international terminals used plus, Australian GST does not apply on NLK and that is why the TRS system can be utilised. The usual $900 limit and cigarette restrictions apply on return.

NLK administration explored moving its operations from SYD and BNE to the domestic terminals but it was apparently all too complicated for the Commonwealth departments to make it work.

 

[justinbrett]

NLK airport receives flights from New Caledonia (charter) and weekly from NZ (Air Chathams). It is also a common refuel and stop-over point for private international flights heading to Australia. It is an international airport for those flights and AQIS, immigration and customs rules apply.

A passenger from those locations (and the transitting flights) may/will them proceed to an Australian port (SYD or BNE) but must satisfy the AQIS, immigration and customs requirements for entry to Australia.

Flights from SYD and BNE are domestic but operated from the international terminal because of the AQIS requirements at both ends and the Customs requirements for entering Australia for non-Australian/NZ citizens. NLK is duty free principally because of the international terminals used plus, Australian GST does not apply on NLK and that is why the TRS system can be utilised. The usual $900 limit and cigarette restrictions apply on return.

NLK administration explored moving its operations from SYD and BNE to the domestic terminals but it was apparently all too complicated for the Commonwealth departments to make it work.

No, NLK is duty free because Norfolk Island is outside of the customs zone. By your logic pax on QF9 MEL-PER can buy duty free. They can’t.

In some circumstances tariffs have to be paid importing goods from Norfolk Island to the mainland.

 

[GrahamBRI]

and weekly from NZ (Air Chathams).

No more Air Chathams to Norfolk. Ceased last month

 

[CMA222]

No, NLK is duty free because Norfolk Island is outside of the customs zone. By your logic pax on QF9 MEL-PER can buy duty free. They can’t.

In some circumstances tariffs have to be paid importing goods from Norfolk Island to the mainland.

Australian Customs operate on NLK and apply and enforce Australian requirements on the island with some local exceptions. Flights between MEL and PER do not operate from a terminal that sells duty free. Goods exported from NLK to Australia are liable to the imposition of GST, if applicable, for example when they were imported into NLK GST free, and then returned.

 

[thebmw]

Flights between MEL and PER do not operate from a terminal that sells duty free.

I'm not sure why we keep using QF9 as an example, given the MEL-PER leg hasn't operated in some time, but yes it absolutely did operate from a terminal that sells duty free.

Similarly, both QF5 and 33 are SYD-PER but from international terminals.

 

[Quickstatus]

In the end, irrespective of who says what, Qantas does what it wants. Perhaps it is just an anomaly or perhaps it is by design.