First Class Host assistance though C & I

[IainF]

I have a Z class award from BNE to BKK via SYD coming up on July 3rd on QF1.
I had rung the QF agent to pick my seat and she mentioned that as I was not checking in at Syd, I would be met off my BNE flight and escorted to the First lounge via customs & immigration.
This sounds nice but is the first time I have heard of this.
It will make life a little easier.
Can anyone confirm this ?
Also what is the current view on wearing the PJ's ?
Cheers
IainF

 

[aus_flyer]

I have a Z class award from BNE to BKK via SYD coming up on July 3rd on QF1.
I had rung the QF agent to pick my seat and she mentioned that as I was not checking in at Syd, I would be met off my BNE flight and escorted to the First lounge via customs & immigration.
This sounds nice but is the first time I have heard of this.
It will make life a little easier.
Can anyone confirm this ?
Also what is the current view on wearing the PJ's ?
Cheers
IainF

I havent heard anything about being escorted off domestic flights. Doesnt make sense as the domestic and international terminals are a bus ride away - is she/he going to catch the bus with you? I don't think so!

 

[Keith009]

Maybe limo service ala LH F?

 

[Mal]

Maybe limo service ala LH F?

Or, as I posted over at FT, Qantas might have an Aussie alternative:

"Maybe they'll throw you in the back of one of the Qantas ute's/baggage trolleys sitting around the tarmac and take you over to avoid the b*us!"

 

[NM]

I had rung the QF agent to pick my seat and she mentioned that as I was not checking in at Syd, I would be met off my BNE flight and escorted to the First lounge via customs & immigration.

They didn't meet me off my BNE-MEL domestic flight and escort me to the ME Flounge. Then again, I suppose an midday arrival into MEL for an 11pm departure might not quite fit their procedure .

But when I re-checked at the F checkin area around 8pm I was not escorted through immigration and to the FLounge. I was left to my own devices to find my way through.

 

[Dave Noble]

They didn't meet me off my BNE-MEL domestic flight and escort me to the ME Flounge. Then again, I suppose an midday arrival into MEL for an 11pm departure might not quite fit their procedure .

But when I re-checked at the F checkin area around 8pm I was not escorted through immigration and to the FLounge. I was left to my own devices to find my way through.

Hmm.. Maybe this is a service that they are only offering to those with paid 1st class tickets rather than upgrades?

Dave

 

[serfty]

Hmm.. Maybe this is a service that they are only offering to those with paid 1st class tickets rather than upgrades?

Dave

Or award redemption F ...

 

[dragonman]

Or award redemption F ...

I have a flight next week in whY so as WP thought I might check with QF by phone as to the procedure... response was you can use kerbside check-in but not the first class lounge. I suggested he might have that wrong and went off to check.

He came back to say he was mis-informed and that I could use the check-in but no assistance through C & I woud be offered. I was then "welcome to find my way to the F lounge". Given that I am arriving straight from work by train in the city, with a limited time -frame, I reckon that checking inside at a Business counter may be as quick.

Has anyone had the experience yet on flying in Y but checking in at F? (since the new set-up began)

 

[serfty]

A few may have done so already; there was a mini Flounge run happening yesterday.

I will be employing Melbourne's F checkin facilities on Friday; will report back.

 

[aus_flyer]

I'll be flying out of SYD on paid F in a few weeks... will let you know about the overall experience.

 

[vt01]

Hmm.. Maybe this is a service that they are only offering to those with paid 1st class tickets rather than upgrades?

Dave

Not so. I travelled on a 1st class upgrade ticket last week SYD-HKG and was offered an escort through immigration/customs to the FC lounge in Sydney. Knowing my way around I declined..
I did however enjoy the express immigration and x-ray queues

Also what is the current view on wearing the PJ's ?
Cheers
IainF

I was offered the PJ's on my SYD-HKG day time flight and used them as did a few of the other passengers. Just more comfortable than jeans..Plus I don't care if they get stained with red wine should I become a little 'clumsy' ;-)

 

[JohnK]

Has anyone had the experience yet on flying in Y but checking in at F? (since the new set-up began)

When I got to the airport yesterday morning I did not see First Class checkin so used the economy checkin instead as there wasn't many people. Mal used the F checkin in SYD but sadly there was no F checkin in MEL.

We travelled SYD-MEL-SYD and sampled both new F lounges, 2 Platinums and a Gold flying domestic sectors only on international flight.

 

[Mal]

When I got to the airport yesterday morning I did not see First Class checkin so used the economy checkin instead as there wasn't many people. Mal used the F checkin in SYD but sadly there was no F checkin in MEL.

I actually used the J checkin in SYD, and was told "You could have used the F checkin!" which was actually just next door to the J checkin. As it was quiet, F were going to check me in anyway, but the CSA operating J looked after it for me.

MEL was a shamozle. When we arrived, there were people everywhere and no obvious F check-in area. When I asked one of the patrolling dragons where F was, she told me that unless I was flying F I was not entitled to use it that day because it was quite busy. We found the "bagless" check-in desk and used that saving a huge amount of time.

 

[NM]

but sadly there was no F checkin in MEL.

Do you mean the F check-in area was closed? Or do you mean you did not see it? The new F check-in is adjacent to the roadway and at the end closest to the QF domestic terminal. It is a separate room with entrance directly from the street and also from inside the general check-in area.

 

[JohnK]

Do you mean the F check-in area was closed? Or do you mean you did not see it?

As Mal mentioned earlier MEL was a shamozzle yesterday. We could not find F checkin and when Mal asked where we could find F checkin was told that we could not use it that day unless we were flying F as they were busy.

 

[serfty]

As Mal mentioned earlier MEL was a shamozzle yesterday. We could not find F checkin and when Mal asked where we could find F checkin was told that we could not use it that day unless we were flying F as they were busy.

Another case of B*dust if I ever have came across it.

I would conject that a worst case rough translation would be "I am really busy and having a bad day. I am going to try and make your day that little worse as well as I now have this opportunity to do so.".

I will report back about where the check in is after a quieter Friday evening scout around later this week.

FWIW, they have been quite a few renovations/changes around the Qantas international check in areas in recent months, but my last two o'seas trips have been ex SYD so I have not used the areas in question for a month or so.

 

[simongr]

I would definitely suggest a letter/email to QF flagging teh lack of F check in and how this is a poor start to the new Flagship F lounges. It may not change your experience but might help the rest of us if travelling through there

 

[Optics]

They didn't meet me off my BNE-MEL domestic flight and escort me to the ME Flounge. Then again, I suppose an midday arrival into MEL for an 11pm departure might not quite fit their procedure .

But when I re-checked at the F checkin area around 8pm I was not escorted through immigration and to the FLounge. I was left to my own devices to find my way through.

When I checked in as a WP on a J flight, I was not escorted through C&I, but was given an "express lane" card that allowed me to bypass the normal queu and present at a dedicated C&I desk. First time I have seen this, and it was most welcome. They do not however have a similar "express lane" card for the return through C&I, which is where it would have been very useful!

 

[NM]

When I checked in as a WP on a J flight, I was not escorted through C&I, but was given an "express lane" card that allowed me to bypass the normal queu and present at a dedicated C&I desk. First time I have seen this, and it was most welcome. They do not however have a similar "express lane" card for the return through C&I, which is where it would have been very useful!

At the time I went through C&I there was no queue at all, so any express lane pass would have been a waste of time.

 

[straitman]

I will report back about where the check in is after a quieter Friday evening scout around later this week.

I was at MEL International on Sat 2nd June and F checkin was as described by NM.

The new F check-in is adjacent to the roadway and at the end closest to the QF domestic terminal. It is a separate room with entrance directly from the street and also from inside the general check-in area.

There were no signs indicating that OWE could use the F checkin (or anywhere else for that matter) and I had no reason to ask as I was simply walking past.