DPS Transit Experiences - QF to QR

[StuntmanRon]

Morning AFF's,

Have an upcoming flight (umm...tomorrow..) where I am undertaking a transit in Denpasar airport. Arriving on QF43 and transiting to QR961. They have been booked on separate PNR's. It is scheduled as 3 hr 15 min layover.

It is part of a set of flights that are QF[MEL-SYD-DPS]-QR[DOH-CDG]. All except MEL-SYD are J class and I am WP.

Having just remembered QF's rule of not checking luggage through on separate PNR's for OW partners, I am faced with the prospect of needing to clear customs & immigration, collect luggage, re-check into Qatar, undertake customs & immigration again and then hopefully make it aboard in time. If there is a delay on arrival or long lines, I am concerned we may risk missing the connection...

I understand that short stays do not need a Visa In Arrival anymore & Departure Tax is included in the outward ticket. Is there anything else to look out for to smooth the process in DPS?

Or even better, is there a way to kindly ask the staff at Qantas on the earlier flight either MEL or SYD to check the luggage through to final destination?

Any tips/tricks or words of wisdom greatly appreciated.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Regardless of your bags being through checked or not (always worth asking!), I understand there are no airside transfer facilities at DPS. You need to clear immigration and customs regardless of your itinerary (same ticket or separate tickets).

This was the case a few months ago with a GA/GA same ticket via DPS. Worth checking to see if this might have changed. I understand immigration lines can be long at DPS, especially at the times of the QF and JQ flights arriving around 9pm.

 

[StuntmanRon]

Thanks for the heads ups!
Looks like it is a bit of a tight connection, with about two hours to land, clear immigration and re-check in again. Not ideal way but better to be prepared now. Shall hopefully be able to update in the next few days what happened.

 

[Pushka]

Thanks for the heads ups!
Looks like it is a bit of a tight connection, with about two hours to land, clear immigration and re-check in again. Not ideal way but better to be prepared now. Shall hopefully be able to update in the next few days what happened.

I think it’s a bit tight to be honest. Often your plane is remotely parked and that process takes a while. Depending on luggage this took quite some time last visit (November). Then you need to scoot over and checkin; then through immigration and baggage drop off. Your luggage will be screened as you check in most likely by a manual scanner and that’s after you’ve already put it through the machine scanner.

No visa needed anymore so for you it’s just straight off.

 

[jase05]

Regardless of your bags being through checked or not (always worth asking!), I understand there are no airside transfer facilities at DPS. You need to clear immigration and customs regardless of your itinerary (same ticket or separate tickets).

This was the case a few months ago with a GA/GA same ticket via DPS. Worth checking to see if this might have changed. I understand immigration lines can be long at DPS, especially at the times of the QF and JQ flights arriving around 9pm.

Unless things have changed there definitely was a transfer area at DPS last time we visited. Was to the left of the VOA area

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Unless things have changed there definitely was a transfer area at DPS last time we visited. Was to the left of the VOA area

that’s good news then! Must be fairly new?

edited to add... GA’s maps seem to indicate it as you say, by the VOA desk!
https://www.garuda-indonesia.com/files/pdf/airport-map/Airport Map DPS.PDF

 

[kelvedon]

Don’t know if this website offers any more information.

Transit Passengers | Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport

 

[jetpack]

I went there a couple of months ago. Flew in on Jetstar at around 9pm. Very long walk to immigration but the queue to get your passport stamped wasn't very long at all. I didn't have luggage so can't comment on the wait. There was a transit desk just before immigration but it only had Garuda signs on the counters so I assumed that it was not for all airlines.

 

[StuntmanRon]

Thanks Pushka, appreciate the reality check. I had always thought it too tight, but had wanted to avoid a long 12hr layover if I had the early morning flight.
I’ll just hope the for best & try not to be overly anxious/stressed as I normally am on doing new transit routes. If it all goes wrong, will figure out as we go.

 

[Pushka]

Don’t know if this website offers any more information.

Transit Passengers | Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport

OP will have to collect luggage. He isn’t a transit passenger as luggage isn’t booked through. So it’s like a new passenger.

 

[Pushka]

Thanks Pushka, appreciate the reality check. I had always thought it too tight, but had wanted to avoid a long 12hr layover if I had the early morning flight.
I’ll just hope the for best & try not to be overly anxious/stressed as I normally am on doing new transit routes. If it all goes wrong, will figure out as we go.

Fingers crossed. Maybe mention to staff on checking in to put a priority tag on it if they won’t check it through. On the plane mention your tight schedule to the crew and they may help you disembark quicker. Guess you can’t HLO?

 

[StuntmanRon]

We have 3 weeks in Europe that include a wedding for my martinet & motorcycle hire for me, so we are at 20kg each for luggage, so definitely need checked bags.

Was going to try at Sydney if they can do me solid & check them through. Would save a lot of scanner time!

 

[StuntmanRon]

Update:
Made it through in around 1hr15min from touchdown to cracking a beer in the departure lounge. Longest delay was luggage claim & then outbound security scanning (both of them).

Not my first preference as a transit airport, but with the savings gained on cheap Qatar J flights, worth the hassle.

 

[Pushka]

Update:
Made it through in around 1hr15min from touchdown to cracking a beer in the departure lounge. Longest delay was luggage claim & then outbound security scanning (both of them).

Not my first preference as a transit airport, but with the savings gained on cheap Qatar J flights, worth the hassle.

Very well done. All the planets aligned then. Phew.

 

[PJF]

Unless things have changed there definitely was a transfer area at DPS last time we visited. Was to the left of the VOA area

Transfer area to oneward flight was there in Feb this year.