40m Connection in SYD, Safe?

[jsd]

Hey Guys,

I'm trying to fit in a few more sectors on my status run next year, so far I have HBA-MEL-SYD-BNE-ROK-MKY-TSV-CNS. (Apologies to anat0l, I thought "The Milk Run" was generic term for crash8 flights up the QLD coast)

When booking the multi-city award on the QF website it gives me the following flights from MEL-BNE via SYD:

QF418 MELSYD
QF520 SYDBNE

The layover time between these flights is only 40 minutes, now the last 2 times I have been in MEL, QF418 has been delayed both times so I'm a bit worried about missing the connection to BNE. my baggage would be through checked so thats not something I need to factor in.

Any opinions on my (somewhat insane) flight selections? Advice etc. would be much appreciated:mrgreen:


Josh


Edit: I really should have put this in the your questions section, mods feel free to move thread as appropriate

 

[thewinchester]

I'm surprised QF's booking engine offered it, because the MCT between flights is 50min.

When you go to book it with the 40min connection, it 'should' invalidate the fare.

 

[jsd]

I'm surprised QF's booking engine offered it, because the MCT between flights is 50min.

When you go to book it with the 40min connection, it 'should' invalidate the fare.

Nope, no invalidation whatsoever. I managed to get right up to the payment page and everything was going along as normal:shock:

 

[oz_mark]

I'm surprised QF's booking engine offered it, because the MCT between flights is 50min.

When you go to book it with the 40min connection, it 'should' invalidate the fare.

I think the MCT is actually 40 mins in Sydney. It is frequently offered by the booking engine.

 

[anat0l]

40 minutes is the standard domestic to domestic connection time (the MCT, if you will) for QF flights for mainline flights; 25 minutes for regional centres (e.g. GLT, ABX etc.) usu. with QantasLink flights.

40 minutes is manageable even with luggage but to be sure I'd recommend that you book it all on one itinerary.

If you really want peace of mind, see if you can book a longer connecting time, but 40 minutes is the bare legal minimum but manageable.

P.S. you are insane like me. If you want ideas, check out my trip report of my status run in May 2009. Doesn't your parents think you are insane:?:

 

[jsd]

40 minutes is manageable even with luggage but to be sure I'd recommend that you book it all on one itinerary.

Will do, Is it QF's responsibility to get me to CNS if for some reason I don't make QF520?

P.S. you are insane like me.

And thats the way I like it:mrgreen:

Doesn't your parents think you are insane:?:

Yes

 

[serfty]

Will do, Is it QF's responsibility to get me to CNS if for some reason I don't make QF520?

If it's all on the one PNR, then yes.

 

[Maca44]

Depending on how long you will be away, why not do it with carry on only. I am aware that domestic only allows for a 20" bag, but you can fit a lot into that..just watch the weight and that way you will have no problems with checked luggage not wanting to travel with you.

 

[anat0l]

I guess interesting to note that even if you have 40 minute connections (i.e. bare minimum), if you have a lot of flying in a day, some interesting things may happen to checked bags.

Firstly, it is not impossible (although not usual) for your bags to misconnect, and you may not collect them at your final destination. This is particularly true if you happen to misconnect; QF may reaccommodate you easily on another (the next) flight, but your checked bag is a different matter.

Secondly, your bag may be "short-cut tagged" to your final destination on your routing, with a RUSH tag attached to it. For example, when I had routings PER-MEL-BNE-SYD-ADL and another one was CBR-SYD-ADL-MEL-AKL, even though my bag tag (as I saw it on check-in) said it will transit through all of those intermediate stops before reaching my final destination (ADL and AKL respectively), in both cases, when I picked them up at my final destination, the bag tag I received at check-in was replaced with a RUSH tag to my final destination. This may be because my bag really misconnected along the way, but I'm not too sure. (Certainly, the longer the routing, the more likely a pax or their checked bag (or both) risks misconnecting).

 

[jsd]

Depending on how long you will be away, why not do it with carry on only. I am aware that domestic only allows for a 20" bag, but you can fit a lot into that..just watch the weight and that way you will have no problems with checked luggage not wanting to travel with you.

I think my suitcase is pushing the limits of carry-on, it fits through the security screening at MEL T1, but I'm just thinking what gate staff would say at the gate

 

[serfty]

I think my suitcase is pushing the limits of carry-on, it fits through the security screening at MEL T1, but I'm just thinking what gate staff would say at the gate

Having seen the suitcase; I would suggest it is somewhat oversize; although not by much. For your professed travel ambitions you really do need a good rollaboard.

I have a decent (if a little frayed in the trimmings) basic black 105cm that we won't need any more*. PM me if you'd like it (gratis).

*SWMBO made it redundant on our last trip to the states after a visit to the Travel-pro disposal store near Boca Raton, Fl

 

[JohnK]

(Apologies to anat0l, I thought "The Milk Run" was generic term for crash8 flights up the QLD coast)

"The Milk Run" also refers to Dash 8 flights down the QLD coast!

Then there was/is also the CO "Milk Run" which ends up in Guam I think from Mainland USA.

 

[serfty]

"Milk Run" is a generic term, which when used in the aviation industry generally refers a routing with frequent stops along the way to pick up/drop off passengers/cargo.

 

[anat0l]

"Milk Run" is a generic term, which when used in the aviation industry generally refers a routing with frequent stops along the way to pick up/drop off passengers/cargo.

Although not strict criteria, they are typified by a routing with multiple short stops with one flight number.

 

[jsd]

Although not strict criteria, they are typified by a routing with multiple short stops with one flight number.

Although not the same flight number they are all somewhat frequent stops:

QF2366 BNE-ROK
QF2314 ROK-MKY
QF2314 MKY-TSV
QF2314 TSV-CNS


Josh