Check in issue

[Happy Trails]

Maybe I am wildly wrong here, but I do not believe you can ever "check-in online" and thus avoid presenting yourself and each passenger with their passports at an airline counter.

I do this regularly departing Aus, and as recently as two days ago, without having my passport sighted at any stage by Qantas.
Not so with other airlines though.

 

[Panda_]

I do this regularly departing Aus, and as recently as two days ago, without having my passport sighted at any stage by Qantas.
Not so with other airlines though.

Thanks Happy Trails. Did you have checked luggage?

 

[Panda_]

the airline will definitely want to see your passport. Big fines if you're not allowed to enter the destination country. The question is whether they'll be bothered with seeing the boarding pass. e.g. "We're all checked in, got the BPs, very happy. Here's the passport, here's the luggage"

I'd be happy if that's how it went down. At the end of the day, I'd love to keep it a secret until we land in Dubai. But if it can't be done, I guess keeping it a secret from Feb until next week was a pretty good effort

 

[Happy Trails]

Thanks Happy Trails. Did you have checked luggage?

No, always HLO and point to point.
I suspect that transferring in DXB might complicate things in your case.

 

[Panda_]

The whole secret thing is part of me proposing. I want it all to be a huge surprise. So far I've booked all hotels, internal flights etc. without her knowledge, it's taken a fair bit of effort and the last hurdle is this F flight! Thank you everybody for your advice so far.

 

[Panda_]

No, always HLO and point to point.
I suspect that transferring in DXB might complicate things in your case.

I suspect it will too. However the Qantas website states that you can check in online for international departure, and your onward flight as long as it is within 24 hours and a codeshare or international partner, in which case Emirates are. It does state that international baggage drop is only available in Bris and Syd though. So in a perfect world, I would have boarding passes from my online check in, right through to Rome, and just be required to drop the bags at the counter. Takes away the possibility of her finding out about the F flight.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This is absolutely true. I just hope that 'person' is the customs officer and they only want to see out Mel - DBX boarding pass...

Australian immigration only want the initial outbound boarding pass. The second one you can snaffle away.

I would simply write a note - 'class of service on Dubai-Rome is a surprise - stick that on the front of your passport as you hand it over. I've done something similar before. it actually worked quite well.

 

[Panda_]

Australian immigration only want the initial outbound boarding pass. The second one you can snaffle away.

I would simply write a note - 'class of service on Dubai-Rome is a surprise - stick that on the front of your passport as you hand it over. I've done something similar before. it actually worked quite well.

Thanks MEL_Traveller,
I think this is the way to go!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks MEL_Traveller,
I think this is the way to go!

The check-in agent will give you all four boarding passes - you only give the MEL-DXB to your partner. Hold on to the connecting passes yourself.

 

[jono88888]

The whole secret thing is part of me proposing.

If someone wants to fly me to Rome in F I'm happy to accept any proposal.

Good luck.

 

[robtemt]

The whole secret thing is part of me proposing. I want it all to be a huge surprise. So far I've booked all hotels, internal flights etc. without her knowledge, it's taken a fair bit of effort and the last hurdle is this F flight! Thank you everybody for your advice so far.

Congrats Panda! I proposed in the QF F lounge on our way to the US to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Immediately after the yes, I was called for my spa treatment. Then when my partner was called for his, I said I'd hold onto the ring, and I ran to get the GST back from the TRS desk. We did the same with our wedding rings on the way to Hawaii.

Don't worry if the boarding pass/first class surprise is let out of the bag. It'll be totally forgotten when you get down on that knee!

 

[Panda_]

Congrats Panda! I proposed in the QF F lounge on our way to the US to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Immediately after the yes, I was called for my spa treatment. Then when my partner was called for his, I said I'd hold onto the ring, and I ran to get the GST back from the TRS desk. We did the same with our wedding rings on the way to Hawaii.

Don't worry if the boarding pass/first class surprise is let out of the bag. It'll be totally forgotten when you get down on that knee!

This is my other issue! Trying to claim the tax back on a ring that she doesn't know about.

 

[Denali]

This is my other issue! Trying to claim the tax back on a ring that she doesn't know about.

Ask her to find a nice bottle of wine or go to electrical and ask about head phones?

As youre bringing the ring back into the country, I don't think GST is refundable blah blah blah, insert the legal stuff here - but we've all done it...

 

[Panda_]

Ask her to find a nice bottle of wine or go to electrical and ask about head phones?

As youre bringing the ring back into the country, I don't think GST is refundable blah blah blah, insert the legal stuff here - but we've all done it...

I've only ever claimed when leaving Aus. Can you claim on re entry?

 

[Cynicor]

I've only ever claimed when leaving Aus. Can you claim on re entry?

No you cannot. In fact, even more unlikely for reasons mentioned above. The scheme is technically for people exporting items, not bringing them back in.

If, for example, the ring was for a friend oseas etc and is not coming back in, then you can claim it...