Enough layover time in MEL?

arlene_i

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I have a flight booked for ADL-MEL-SIN-ICN-SIN-MEL-ADL next month. Domestic with VA, international with SQ. I thought I could have my baggage checked thru to ICN from ADL, but I was mistaken. My layover in MEL is 2hr10min. Is that enough time to collect baggage, re check baggage and go thru security, immigration and everything else travellers do these days?
 
I have a flight booked for ADL-MEL-SIN-ICN-SIN-MEL-ADL next month. Domestic with VA, international with SQ. I thought I could have my baggage checked thru to ICN from ADL, but I was mistaken. My layover in MEL is 2hr10min. Is that enough time to collect baggage, re check baggage and go thru security, immigration and everything else travellers do these days?
Booked as 1 ticket? Booked with the airline? Or TA/OTA?
Can you receive the SQ boarding pass at ADL or need to do full check in at MEL?
The SQ flight will close XX minutes before the scheduled departure. You will not have 2:10hr
A risk. The consequences are great.
With separate tickets I would not try that. Very little margin for delays. A risk even if all 1 ticket.
 
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If it’s all on the one ticket the bags should be checked through? VA and SQ used to through check bags, although maybe that was the old VA not the new? On the return of course you will need to collect bags in MEL.

If separate tickets, or they require you to collect bags because they can’t check them through, 2 hours should be enough time.

According to the SQ website checkin at MEL closes 40 mins prior to departure. This is theory allows you time to clear security and make your way immediately to the gate for boarding.

If all in the one ticket a missed connection means they will protect you on the next flight.
 
It is a single ticket bought from SQ online. I booked a single ticket thinking that a) I can check my bags thru from ADL, and b) SQ will cover me in case of missed connection. I did VA and Etihad 5 yrs ago, with transit in MEL, and my bags were checked from ADL. I had that in mind when I booked.

After I booked, I asked VA and SQ about this and both replied I have to re check in MEL. I should have asked before I booked! I'm asking the question out there to hear what travellers think or experienced.

If I miss my SQ flight, I hope SQ will place me on the later flight to Seoul on the same day.
 
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It is a single ticket bought from SQ online. I booked a single ticket thinking that a) I can check my bags thru from ADL, and b) SQ will cover me in case of missed connection. I did VA and Etihad 5 yrs ago, with transit in MEL, and my bags were checked from ADL. I had that in mind when I booked.

After I booked, I asked VA and SQ about this and both replied I have to re check in MEL. I should have asked before I booked! I'm asking the question out there to hear what travellers think or experienced.

If I miss my SQ flight, I hope SQ will place me on the later flight to Seoul on the same day.

Yes, one ticket and you will be protected on the next flight(s) to Seoul.

I would try again at ADL to see if they will check you bags through… maybe they can’t because of covid checking or whatever?

In any event, provided the VA flight is no more than about 30 mins late that should give you plenty of time to collect your bags and head to the SQ check in counters.

If the VA flight is running later than that I would head straight from the VA gate to the SQ check in… tell them you are there, and that you need to collect your bags from the VA flight. They might be able to process your check in and have the bag tags ready so all you need to do is collect the bags from VA and drop them once you get back.
 
After I booked, I asked VA and SQ about this and both replied I have to re check in MEL. I should have asked before I booked! I'm asking the question out there to hear what travellers think or experienced.
To be honest, the VA airport staff at ADL are the only ones that can provide a definitive answer to that, not the call centre staff.

The airline site many of us AFF members use, ExpertFlyer, shows information that VA can interline and through check baggage through to SQ. I suspect it will be fine, if it is on the one ticket. Other members also report this ( although may be out of date, most reports of this are pre-COVID).
 
It is a single ticket bought from SQ online. I booked a single ticket thinking that a) I can check my bags thru from ADL, and b) SQ will cover me in case of missed connection. I did VA and Etihad 5 yrs ago, with transit in MEL, and my bags were checked from ADL. I had that in mind when I booked.

After I booked, I asked VA and SQ about this and both replied I have to re check in MEL. I should have asked before I booked! I'm asking the question out there to hear what travellers think or experienced.

If I miss my SQ flight, I hope SQ will place me on the later flight to Seoul on the same day.
VA will check bags in HBA through to the final destination with SQ if booked on a single ticket. They did it for a HBA-LHR flight only a few weeks ago. I can’t see why it would be different from ADL.
 
It is a single ticket bought from SQ online. I booked a single ticket thinking that a) I can check my bags thru from ADL, and b) SQ will cover me in case of missed connection. I did VA and Etihad 5 yrs ago, with transit in MEL, and my bags were checked from ADL. I had that in mind when I booked.

After I booked, I asked VA and SQ about this and both replied I have to re check in MEL. I should have asked before I booked! I'm asking the question out there to hear what travellers think or experienced.

If I miss my SQ flight, I hope SQ will place me on the later flight to Seoul on the same day.
With a single ticket would expect bag to be transferred/interlined at MEL. That is normal procedure.
With "re check" they (VA-SQ) may be thinking of some thing else:- Passports, visa, CV19 documentation, who knows.
Depends on the exact question asked and/or what they a you were asking.
 
@arlene_i - I forwarded your posts to SQ MEL Station for clarification - their response here:
As per the below information that you have provided, Virgin Australia in Adelaide should be able to through check your friends checked in baggage to Incheon.
They may or may not be able to issue all the boarding passes. If Virgin Australia only issue the boarding pass for Adelaide to Melbourne, just ask your friend to approach our service desk
in Melbourne to collect his onward boarding passes.
Loosely translated - YES 100% VA can interline - but they may or may not - SQ unfortunately cannot control this - VA issue.

Hope this helps 👍
 
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With "re check" they (VA-SQ) may be thinking of some thing else:- Passports, visa, CV19 documentation, who knows.
Depends on the exact question asked and/or what they a you were asking.
VA's response: "You will need to re check in your baggage at the international airport."
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@arlene_i - I forwarded your posts to SQ MEL Station for clarification - their response here:

Loosely translated - YES 100% VA can interline - but they may or may not - SQ unfortunately cannot control this - VA issue.

Hope this helps 👍
Oh, thanks for doing this!
 
VA can interline to SQ without out an issue and is done at checkin on the same PNR or even on different PNR's just ask at the VA checkin desk to do a BR transfer. You may be told it cannot be done, if this is this case ask the checkin staff to call a supervisor. I live in ADL and preCOVID have checked in at ADL (VA) connected via MEL or SYD to SQ and the luggage has arrived at the final destination without issue.
 
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