Check Through bags - SYD-MEL-HND-LHR

[AussiePom]

Hi knoweldge trust.

I'm pretty sure the answer is no but wanted to see whether we can check in bags for a trip starting on Qantas domestic for SYD-MEL, then Qantas International from MEL-HND?

We're wondering whether we will have to lug a car seat from the baggage reclaim in Mel domestic and check it in again in international.

Thank you

 

[elanshin]

You'll be able to check your bags through to HND from SYD. Go to the special checkin desk at Qantas Dom in Sydney and they should be able to get it through and issue your next flights boarding pass. I don't believe you'll be able to do it all the way to LHR though, so be prepared to clear customs and immigration at HND (fill in the health declaration stuff and vaccination proof online for Japan).

With that said depending on the connection times you might trust your own transfer than using Qantas bagage handlers. I had a missed luggage transfer last Nov from SYD > MEL > SIN and that was a 2hr transfer (I would've had more than ample time to pick up and redrop). The distance from MEL T1 pick-up to t2 drop off is about a 5 minute walk.

 

[AussiePom]

You'll be able to check your bags through to HND from SYD. Go to the special checkin desk at Qantas Dom in Sydney and they should be able to get it through and issue your next flights boarding pass. I don't believe you'll be able to do it all the way to LHR though, so be prepared to clear customs and immigration at HND (fill in the health declaration stuff and vaccination proof online for Japan).

With that said depending on the connection times you might trust your own transfer than using Qantas bagage handlers. I had a missed luggage transfer last Nov from SYD > MEL > SIN and that was a 2hr transfer (I would've had more than ample time to pick up and redrop). The distance from MEL T1 pick-up to t2 drop off is about a 5 minute walk.

Thanks for you feeedback. Is this an HND thing - i.e. if we check in the bags in MEL, can we check them through to London from there? Or is this a strange HND thing?

Qantas website suggests that this may be possible:

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/network-and-partner-airlines/japan-airlines.html

 

[pyffii]

We're flying MEL-HND-LHR-BCN with a 13 hour layover and told QF wont transfer bags in Haneda to BA for layovers exceeding 12 hours so we're overnighting at the Royal Park landside

 

[AussiePom]

Good to know. We're flying SYD-MEL-HND on Qantas and transferring to JAL for HND-LHR.

 

[elanshin]

It may be possible to do the check through but depending on your transfer. Ask at SYD Domestic special desk and they'll be able to let you know the situation. Definitely doable all the way to HND.

As a precaution I'd just fill in the health check stuff online as it only takes you a few minutes to upload the vaccination details. Could potentially save a lot of stress on the day if you're forced to go landside.

 

[Quickstatus]

@AussiePom
Which flight are you on HND-LHR - the midnight one or the 9am one?

 

[AussiePom]

@AussiePom
Which flight are you on HND-LHR - the midnight one or the 9am one?

Midnight.

 

[Quickstatus]

Midnight

At HND you will arrive and depart from T3 for the the HND-LHR flight

Is your HND-LHR ticket on separate booking to the SYD-MEL-HND ticket. And are any of the tickets a Classic Reward?

 

[AussiePom]

At HND you will arrive and depart from T3 for the the HND-LHR flight

Is your HND-LHR ticket on separate booking to the SYD-MEL-HND ticket. And are any of the tickets a Classic Reward?

The HND-LHR is on the same booking. All of the tickets are part of a J Qantas Oneworld award, and luckily they have all been ticketed ;p

 

[Quickstatus]

The HND-LHR is on the same booking

Excellent, then I believe the answer is yes
All your bags should be checked through, boarding pass issued and you will just swan through the Transit Security Checkpoint without needing to go through Immigration*. This will allow you to go upstairs to the Departures area.
The Transit security Checkpoint is near the International Transit Counter/Desk and before Immigration.

The fine print:
*: Assuming that your SYD-MEL and or MEL-HND is not delayed and does not cause you to miss the HND-LHR flight
......

@AussiePom
Assuming no FF status

The SYD-MEL J flight will net you a luggage allowance of 2x32Kg
The MEL-HND J flight luggage allowance is 40kg
The HND-LHR J luggage allowance is 3x32kg

Note the Child car seat is carried FOC as checked luggage.

I believe that JAL is the MSC (most significant carrier), so theoretically according to IATA rules, your luggage allowance should be 3x32kg for all sectors
Someone might want to confirm.....
Note also that JAL can be OCD about luggage dimensions. Twice I've travelled on JAL (from 2 different departure points) and twice they brought out the tape measure to check the skibag and charged me twice for oversize luggage.

 

[Quickstatus]

@AussiePom

Assuming no FF status

The SYD-MEL J flight will net you a luggage allowance of 2x32Kg
The MEL-HND J flight luggage allowance is 40kg
The HND-LHR J luggage allowance is 3x32kg

Note the Child car seat is carried FOC as checked luggage.

I believe that JAL is the MSC (most significant carrier), so theoretically your luggage allowance should be 3x32kg for all sectors
Someone might want to confirm.....

 

[AussiePom]

@AussiePom

Assuming no FF status

The SYD-MEL J flight will net you a luggage allowance of 2x32Kg
The MEL-HND J flight luggage allowance is 40kg
The HND-LHR J luggage allowance is 3x32kg

Note the Child car seat is carried FOC as checked luggage.

I believe that JAL is the MSC (most significant carrier), so theoretically your luggage allowance should be 3x32kg for all sectors
Someone might want to confirm.....

Thank you for your feedback. This was really helpful. Now to ponder whether it would have been better to buy three tickets in economy as opposed to 2 in J with a 22 month old...... #longtrip

 

[Quickstatus]

three tickets in economy as opposed to 2 in J with a 22 month old...... #longtrip

Interesting question

Neither the QF79 (A330-300) or JL41 (B787-8) has any row of 3 Y seats. They are 2-4-2.
In Y you would have chosen a row of 2 at the window +1 in the aisle section of the row of 4
If your child is under 11kg maybe request a bassinet.
The problem with a bassinet is that every time the seat belt sign comes on, you will need to take child out of bassinet even if child has just managed to go to sleep. Ask me how I know....

The JAL787-8 J product is fairly narrow. Good for 1 adult but difficult to seat a 2 year old.
The QF AQ330 J seat is 21.5in wide and about 4.5 in wider than the Y seat
If I remember correctly, the JAL Shell flat neo is only 1.5 wider than the Y seat and the JAL SkySuite is 2 in wider than the Y seat. Both are narrower than the AF A330 J seat

See SkySuite and Shell flat Neo

I can't say that 3 Y seats are better than 2J seats. There are obvious pros and cons
Would you consider paying for a child seat at 75% of the usual fare?
For a kid 10kg and up, and can sit up on their own, a restraint such as a CARES restraint (FAA approved) is excellent:

Some else can confirm

 

[AussiePom]

Interesting question

Neither the QF79 (A330-300) or JL41 (B787-8) has any row of 3 Y seats. They are 2-4-2.
In Y you would have chosen a row of 2 at the window +1 in the aisle section of the row of 4
If your child is under 11kg maybe request a bassinet.
The problem with a bassinet is that every time the seat belt sign comes on, you will need to take child out of bassinet even if child has just managed to go to sleep. Ask me how I know....

The JAL787-8 J product is fairly narrow. Good for 1 adult but difficult to seat a 2 year old.
The QF AQ330 J seat is 21.5in wide and about 4.5 in wider than the Y seat
If I remember correctly, the JAL Shell flat neo is only 1.5 wider than the Y seat and the JAL SkySuite is 2 in wider than the Y seat. Both are narrower than the AF A330 J seat

See SkySuite and Shell flat Neo

I can't say that 3 Y seats are better than 2J seats. There are obvious pros and cons
Would you consider paying for a child seat at 75% of the usual fare?
For a kid 10kg and up, and can sit up on their own, a restraint such as a CARES restraint (FAA approved) is excellent:

Some else can confirm

This is some great thinking. Thank you.

Ours is 14kg and almost 2 years old. I’m sitting in the JAL Flounge HND after a long first leg where my J seat was slowly taken over by a 22 month old. I spent the last hour or so standing . Here’s hoping the next leg is easier.

I think I’d still prefer J as we were able to lie flat side by side for a couple of hours before I was ejected from the seat.

I’m not sure budget will allow for 3 J seats when the little one is over 2.

 

[madrooster]

I believe that JAL is the MSC (most significant carrier), so theoretically according to IATA rules, your luggage allowance should be 3x32kg for all sectors
Someone might want to confirm.....
Note also that JAL can be OCD about luggage dimensions. Twice I've travelled on JAL (from 2 different departure points) and twice they brought out the tape measure to check the skibag and charged me twice for oversize luggage.

This holds true as long as the ticket does not touch North America. If the ticket touches North America then the US DoT/CA CTA exception rules may apply instead.

 

[Quickstatus]

If the ticket touches North America

you mean if the flight transits IATA region 1?

 

[madrooster]

you mean if the flight transits IATA region 1?

Generally, yes that is correct, however in real world practicality in this particular scenario with an AU origin, it's really just North America.

 

[Quickstatus]

Generally, yes that is correct

So how would it work if the airline decides after ticket purchase they they would change aircraft routing for operational or maybe geopolitical reasons and instead of flying northwest it's cheaper/better to fly northeast?

 

[madrooster]

So how would it work if the airline decides after ticket purchase they they would change aircraft routing for operational or maybe geopolitical reasons and instead of flying northwest it's cheaper/better to fly northeast?

On the day routing is not relevant. A route like NYC-SIN would be a route where the actual flying can go east or west. Such a route is regarded as westbound by IATA and is treated accordingly for ticketing purposes.