Connection time @ DXB - BA105 to QF2

[mitti]

Hi guys,

I'm lucky enough to have secured myself a F award booking from LHR-SYD via DXB using Asia Miles.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get QF2 all the way from LHR-SYD, but did manage to snag it from DXB-SYD. The LHR-DXB leg I'm doing on BA on flight 105.

BA105 leaves LHR 5 minutes earlier and arrives in DXB 5 mins earlier than QF2 does according to the schedule for January 6.

How much time will it take me to get from the 'C' gates in terminal 1 (The way DXB's terminals and concourses are named is very confusing to me... Terminal 3 has Concourse A, and Terminal 1 has Concourse C??) to the 'A' gates where QF2 departs from?

Does one walk between the concourses or should I get a transfer bus?

Here is the timing of my flights:
BA105 Dept LHR 20:25, Arr DXB 07:25
QF2 Dept DXB 09:35, Arr Syd 06:30

This will be my very first First experience, so I'm also excited to hear of any particular things I should look forward to (I've already browsed through countless trip reports and reviews so I have a fair idea... :shock::mrgreen

 

[Himeno]

At DXB, the terminals themselves are only buildings for check in, baggage claim, customs etc. All the concourses are connected airside.

Make sure to re check what concourse the BA flight is using. Concourse D opens soon and all airlines other then QF and EK are being moved to the new concourse to open up Concourse C to EK.

Try and get BA to issue a boarding pass for QF2 at LHR. It's a long walk through the connections corridor from C to A.

I did this sort of thing a few years ago just after QF started flights through DXB. I had BA107 to DXB and QF1 back to LHR. It was meant to be a 3 hour connection. 107 was delayed 90 mins due to technical issues (an issue with part of the gear IIRC, aircraft declared unserviceable and flight changed to an aircraft coming in from SFO) and then by ATC near DXB. BA refused to issue a QF boarding pass, and every connections desk I past at DXB - even the one by the concourse A screening checkpoint and train which had QF logos - refused.

 

[mitti]

At DXB, the terminals themselves are only buildings for check in, baggage claim, customs etc. All the concourses are connected airside.

Make sure to re check what concourse the BA flight is using. Concourse D opens soon and all airlines other then QF and EK are being moved to the new concourse to open up Concourse C to EK.

Try and get BA to issue a boarding pass for QF2 at LHR. It's a long walk through the connections corridor from C to A.

I did this sort of thing a few years ago just after QF started flights through DXB. I had BA107 to DXB and QF1 back to LHR. It was meant to be a 3 hour connection. 107 was delayed 90 mins due to technical issues (an issue with part of the gear IIRC, aircraft declared unserviceable and flight changed to an aircraft coming in from SFO) and then by ATC near DXB. BA refused to issue a QF boarding pass, and every connections desk I past at DXB - even the one by the concourse A screening checkpoint and train which had QF logos - refused.

That experience sounds pretty awful! I'm guessing you didn't make the flight, what ended up happening?

Thanks for the advice

 

[QPProletarian]

Going to be very tight I'd imagine. BA aren't very useful at all, even in F lounge, so you probably won't have a BP in advance. Might even have trouble with luggage being checked through.

The only good thing is that the QF flights always depart from the good A gates and you won't get stuck with a bus.

Hope it is on the same ticket. Perhaps there is a QF F host that may be able to assist you in T3 before the flight or in DXB?


I booked BA to AU, BA to HKG, QF on BA Codeshare HKG-BNE. BA wouldn't issue BP for second segment, and in HKG the QF F check in asked me for the baggage receipt.

 

[mitti]

Going to be very tight I'd imagine. BA aren't very useful at all, even in F lounge, so you probably won't have a BP in advance. Might even have trouble with luggage being checked through.

The only good thing is that the QF flights always depart from the good A gates and you won't get stuck with a bus.

Hope it is on the same ticket. Perhaps there is a QF F host that may be able to assist you in T3 before the flight or in DXB?


I booked BA to AU, BA to HKG, QF on BA Codeshare HKG-BNE. BA wouldn't issue BP for second segment, and in HKG the QF F check in asked me for the baggage receipt.

That's a bit of a worry! It's all on the same ticket, so I'll be covered if anything goes wrong. I've heard of BA being unhelpful with inter line agreements and booking people through on different tickets, but since they are part of oneworld and it's the same ticket they should check me through the whole way shouldn't they? And if they're late they're responsible to get me home?

 

[Flying mermaid]

Try and get BA to issue a boarding pass for QF2 at LHR. It's a long walk through the connections corridor from C to A.

Can you walk from C to A? I tried doing it a couple of times last year and got as far as B and then had to take the train from B to A. Would prefer to walk but couldn't find a way?

 

[madrooster]

Would prefer to walk but couldn't find a way?

No, concourse A is an island basically. The only way is to take the train.

 

[Flying mermaid]

No, concourse A is an island basically. The only way is to take the train.

thanks - thought I may have missed something

 

[Himeno]

Can you walk from C to A? I tried doing it a couple of times last year and got as far as B and then had to take the train from B to A. Would prefer to walk but couldn't find a way?

No, you get off at C, walk along the arrivals/connections corridor past a number of transit desks and the corridors off to immigration until you get to the arrivals/transit area of A where you go through a screening checkpoint, go upstairs and then the train.

That experience sounds pretty awful! I'm guessing you didn't make the flight, what ended up happening?

When I asked about QF boarding passes at the transit desk with QF signage, they just pointed me to the screening checkpoint and said to go upstairs. Got through transit screening and into Concourse A departures without a boarding pass. Made it to the EK F lounge and told them what was going on. They went "whaa...??? " and tried to sort it out. It was a DONE3 and by that point AA, MH and AY had all made changes to it so EK was having trouble getting into the booking. They let me into the lounge for food/drink/shower while they tried to sort it out. I had left my checked bag in storage at LHR, so carry on only, but by the time they got into the booking, the flight had closed. I had hoped they would rebook me onto one of the QF coded EK flights leaving for LHR in 2 and 4 hours time which would get me to LHR in time for my connection to PVG, but no go.
EK tried to contact BA (as the carrier at fault for the misconnect) who didn't answer the phone. Then they tried CX (ticket issuer) who also didn't answer the phone. They got through to QF in SYD who put me on the next QF1 24 hours later and sent me off to a hotel with a voucher. I lost a day in China (half my time there under the 72 hour max TWOV program) and a night of my prepaid hotel. BA refused to pay out the EU261 amount the delay allowed me.

 

[mitti]

When I asked about QF boarding passes at the transit desk with QF signage, they just pointed me to the screening checkpoint and said to go upstairs. Got through transit screening and into Concourse A departures without a boarding pass. Made it to the EK F lounge and told them what was going on. They went "whaa...??? " and tried to sort it out. It was a DONE3 and by that point AA, MH and AY had all made changes to it so EK was having trouble getting into the booking. They let me into the lounge for food/drink/shower while they tried to sort it out. I had left my checked bag in storage at LHR, so carry on only, but by the time they got into the booking, the flight had closed. I had hoped they would rebook me onto one of the QF coded EK flights leaving for LHR in 2 and 4 hours time which would get me to LHR in time for my connection to PVG, but no go.
EK tried to contact BA (as the carrier at fault for the misconnect) who didn't answer the phone. Then they tried CX (ticket issuer) who also didn't answer the phone. They got through to QF in SYD who put me on the next QF1 24 hours later and sent me off to a hotel with a voucher. I lost a day in China (half my time there under the 72 hour max TWOV program) and a night of my prepaid hotel. BA refused to pay out the EU261 amount the delay allowed me.

Seems like BA are the main culprits here, but your situation was exasperated by unhelpful QF reps in Dubai. I've heard similar issues with BA check in agents being unwilling (but in theory, able) to check people through on different OW airlines. Do you think asking politely for a manager to double check whether check in the whole way through would help?

Worst comes to worst I do not have anything I need to be back in Sydney urgently for, so a hotel stay in Dubai is not going to be a huge issue, just a bit annoying. Out of interest was it just the standard airport hotel they sent you to in Dubai?

 

[Himeno]

Seems like BA are the main culprits here, but your situation was exasperated by unhelpful QF reps in Dubai. I've heard similar issues with BA check in agents being unwilling (but in theory, able) to check people through on different OW airlines. Do you think asking politely for a manager to double check whether check in the whole way through would help?

Since I started doing DONE3's (rather then LONE4s) in 2010, I've been maxing out the 16 flights I'm allowed with each trip (1 yearly) having a LHR-DXB return in it. Either as an overnight each way with the day in Dubai or an in/out turn. The first few were just BA flights each way (the first one a same aircraft return). When QF started the DXB flights, I did the BA out, QF back and had the above issue. After the MEL-LHR retime last year, it was possible to do a LHR-DXB-LHR turn on QF. I did this last year (lunch time QF10 LHR-DXB, 3am QF1 DXB-LHR). Last year, the check in agent at LHR T3 couldn't print the return boarding pass. Don't know if that was just a problem with their system or because the QF1 had had the points upgrade to F clear, but I got the QF LHR ticketing counter to print the DXB-LHR pass.
My trip last year had a cargo door sensor issue on QF10 and a 90 min delay while they fixed it, so ended up having to forgo the F lounge and head right to the QF1 gate once I got to DXB. I'm doing the same this year, QF10>QF1, in about 2 weeks. The recent and ongoing delays to the QF DXB/LHR operation are worrying me a bit.

I spent about 3 weeks debating with BA about EU261 as what became a 25 hour delay into my destination (PVG) was caused by BA and everyone I asked, except BA, accepted that the claim was valid. BA always refused to pay up.

Out of interest was it just the standard airport hotel they sent you to in Dubai?

I don't remember the name of the hotel. This happened 2 years ago, after QF moved to DXB and before the MEL-LHR retime. About 4 months after the EK tie up started. I was quite happy to spend the day in the EK Concourse A F lounge and sleep in the quiet room, but QF insisted on getting me a hotel for the day. Once the rebooking was sorted out, an EK rep escorted me back to the train to Terminal 1 and immigration and then pointed out the EK Connect shuttle desk. The hotel was about a 10-15 minute drive from the airport.

 

[mitti]

Sorry to bump this up again, but thought I'd share my experience in case any one else is looking at doing a similar thing.

Check in at LHR T5 F section was fast and efficient, the lady checking me in had some trouble trying to print the boarding pass for the QF2 DXB-SYD leg, but after fiddling around for a minute or two managed to print it (actually she printed about 10 copies accidentally as she was clicking around). In my experience it seems they are more than happy to try and print it for you (at least if they have the skills to - try and use one of the more experienced looking check in assistants, if you catch my drift). If they don't print your ticket, they will at least check your bags through to Sydney.

If the flights are on time, you should have ample time to make your own way from Concourse C where BA lands to Concourse A where Qantas departs (although this will change when Concourse D opens up and BA moves further away). I did this walk by foot and although not entirely pleasant (hot, busy, noisy), it was quick enough.

Upon entering the Emirates F lounge, they scanned my BA issued boarding pass and had to reissue another one as it didn't match up. If you have issues with BA printing your ticket, the Emirates staff should be more than able to print your Qantas ticket for you in the lounge, so don't stress. I had time for a shower and breakfast in the Emirates F lounge which was quite pleasant.