3hr connection SYD Intl on two tickets - would you do it?

[transcon777]

A tricky one that I need your advice on fellow AFF'ers!

I am planning a personal trip and want to maximise my time post a business trip and have come across a predicament!

I am booked on VN783 on Aug 30th from HAN to arrive into SYD at 0815 on the 31st.
I'm dead set keen to travel on VA1 on August 31st departing at 1045am to ensure I arrive into LA for an event on the evening of August 31st.

I really prefer VA due to Velocity Gold, and looking at VA's business sale fare ($2k cheaper on the 31st than Sept 1st) and wouldn't be available again until Sept 2nd therefore eating up my leave and missing my event on the 31st.

So essentially I want to save time and take advantage of VA's decent J class fare and also make my event/save time.

The itinerary would look like this:

30AUG HAN/SYD 1630/0815+1
31AUG SYD/LAX 1045/0720

This essentially gives me 2hrs and 45mins to arrive into SYD, collect baggage, clear immigration and customs, re-check into VA1 with time to refresh in the Air NZ lounge prior to departure.

The VN flight would be in J class so I presume quick disembarkation and priority luggage would expedite this process and a J class check-in with VA would also be pretty quick.

My question to you, fellow seasoned travellers, would you personally do this connection with the short transit time? Has anyone done a similar connection bearing it mind it will be on two entirely separate tickets?

Would love all or any advice!

 

[JohnK]

In my opinion a 2:45 hour transit in SYD international should be more than enough but again this totally depends on your first flight getting to SYD on time or close to it.

I am guessing there is no codeshare arrangement between VN and VA and even less likely on different PNRs. Could have saved a little time on collecting luggage and checking in again.

The question you need to answer is that if VN was late getting into SYD and you missed the VA flight what is VA likely to do for you and are you prepared to get to LA a day late? You can't get into SYD a day earlier?

 

[elbarto]

I do believe VA and VN interline. So you should be able to check your bags through to your destination from your point of departure. All you will have to do in SYD is collect your VN boarding passes, unless you OLCI and print at home.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

A tricky one that I need your advice on fellow AFF'ers!

I am planning a personal trip and want to maximise my time post a business trip and have come across a predicament!

I am booked on VN783 on Aug 30th from HAN to arrive into SYD at 0815 on the 31st.
I'm dead set keen to travel on VA1 on August 31st departing at 1045am to ensure I arrive into LA for an event on the evening of August 31st.

I really prefer VA due to Velocity Gold, and looking at VA's business sale fare ($2k cheaper on the 31st than Sept 1st) and wouldn't be available again until Sept 2nd therefore eating up my leave and missing my event on the 31st.

So essentially I want to save time and take advantage of VA's decent J class fare and also make my event/save time.

The itinerary would look like this:

30AUG HAN/SYD 1630/0815+1
31AUG SYD/LAX 1045/0720

This essentially gives me 2hrs and 45mins to arrive into SYD, collect baggage, clear immigration and customs, re-check into VA1 with time to refresh in the Air NZ lounge prior to departure.

The VN flight would be in J class so I presume quick disembarkation and priority luggage would expedite this process and a J class check-in with VA would also be pretty quick.

My question to you, fellow seasoned travellers, would you personally do this connection with the short transit time? Has anyone done a similar connection bearing it mind it will be on two entirely separate tickets?

Would love all or any advice!

Have you considered travelling to LAX from HAN instead of coming all the way back to Oz first?

Tue 30 Aug VN 924 HAN/TPE 1730/2110
Tue 30 Aug VN2032 TPE/LAX 2320/2045 (code share operated by CI)

The bonus with that is that you arrive in LAX the night of 30 Aug & can get a good nights sleep on arrival & be in plenty of time for the important event the next day.

I have no idea what the airfares are like however if you got a return fare HAN/LAX/HAN so do the US as a sidetrip if you like ex Vietnam. You could then use the HAN/SYD return sector of your work trip provided your employer was happy for you to do so - some can get a bit funny about things like that.

The only downside is you wouldn't get to sample VA's Business Class & assuming you've already paid in advance for this ticket there may be cancellation fees for this ticket unless you can move the dates to sometime in the future.

 

[Simo]

You will have heaps of time.

I have done it a lot tighter.

From Dom to int in Sydney both with Qantas had only app 1 hour between flights and that was a bit of a rush.

I did a 2 and a bit hour changeover in SIN and it was fine and i had to get on a bus and go down 3 terminals and had time to grab a bite to eat as well.

Biggest thing that you will encounter if the first flight is running late.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I do believe VA and VN interline. So you should be able to check your bags through to your destination from your point of departure. All you will have to do in SYD is collect your VN boarding passes, unless you OLCI and print at home.

That may be the case but you are still at the mercy of VN in HAN agreeing to do so. I have heard of plenty of examples on this forum where airline A has an agreement with airline B to check through the luggage but the first airline has refused to do it.

If your bags are checked through HAN/SYD/LAX then technically you could remain airside in SYD and not even have to clear customs & immigration formalities.

When you get your VA boarding passes at the transfer desk (airside) in SYD you'll need to show your baggage receipts to VA so they can add them into their system along with the weight so make sure you take note of your bag weight when you checkin at HAN.

 

[Hvr]

And using the word discrete in its correct form here, with discrete bookings if something goes wrong with the first flight you're stuffed.

Do you have alternative flights that you can take if there is a problem?

 

[stomplad]

And using the word discrete in its correct form here, with discrete bookings if something goes wrong with the first flight you're stuffed.

Do you have alternative flights that you can take if there is a problem?

Had a similar situation with option to have 2.5hr changeover in SIN for flight to MNL last week. Wasnt able to check baggage through Decided too tight. Had I done it I would of missed flights both ways as flights delayed 1 hour + both ways.

Would also fly more direct route if I had a choice

 

[notzac]

Personally, I think the connection you're trying to set up is a bit too risky, especially so for an AM arrival in to SYD international.

 

[transcon777]

Thanks for all your help guys...

Ended up deciding it was a little too risky, knowing my luck I'll be landing early from HCMC now, but booked on QF11 leaving later that afternoon which should give me ample time.

Really appreciate all your input