First reward flight SYD-LHR. Are my expectations too high?

[smckay]

You may indeed get to greet the First Hosts at T1 International then as Jetstar publish that they will not through check luggage on domestic connecting with international even on the same booking.

https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/help/baggage-transfers

Yes I was just checking that.

If that is the case, and it appears we have to collect, then I will put everything in the checked bag currently sitting at 23Kg and then pull it all out before we check in.

 

[serfty]

Yes I was just checking that.

If that is the case, and it appears we have to collect, then I will put everything in the checked bag currently sitting at 23Kg and then pull it all out before we check in.

If that happens then you'd need to collect bags at T2 on arrival into SYD and take them yourself to T1 (train, Taxi, free transfer bus, etc.).

At which point you can make your way to First check in.

(If you taxi / uber it, you may be able to use kerbside valet. If so, you may need to arrange with the first host an arrival contact.)

 

[DC3]

I wouldn’t fly the JQ leg and I would have booked the HBA-SYD leg seperately with another airline even if that involved going up a day earlier but that’s just me.

Totally agree.

 

[AuSammy]

JQ is JQ not QF a totally seperate entity.

JQ do not offer any bells and whistles of any kind regardless of your status on any other airline or where you bought your ticket or where you are going on your next sector, they do not offer F and barely offer an imitation of J and then not domestic flights anyway.

Your F experience will not commence until.you are at the international terminal before your F flight on QF.

As you are obviously a frequent flyer I am flabagasted that you would expect anything different?

 

[Princess Fiona]

As soon as I found out QF were flying Sundays I tried to get the booking changed.
What rankles me is when I booked it I was WP and this was a request reward flight (QF1).
But after I dropped back to Gold there was no way in the world QF would even entertain any changes. They wouldn't even look at economy seats on the QF flight.
I literally would have made 30 calls, the majority of which were HUCA. Hobart was just out of reach.

So this is why I am peeved, we are entitled to a heap of luggae on QF but due to NoStar being involved I have had to put $10,000+ of samera gear in checked bags, And I don't know at this point if JQ will check it through to London or we collect at Sydney.
No mention of the touted First Hosts to greet us.

Pretty poor for a premium cabin experience, even if it is a rewards flight.

This is actually really poor from QF.
It would / should have been pretty straightforward to change that JQ sector to QF J once the route opened up.

I don’t think status should matter at all when you are flying F. QF really need to start having an IVR which recognizes the booking reference and sends that call through to VIP instead of the hapless overseas call centers.

 

[DC3]

Tomorrow, we take our first ever First flight

Welcome to flying in F.

 

[smckay]

This is actually really poor from QF.
It would / should have been pretty straightforward to change that JQ sector to QF J once the route opened up.

I don’t think status should matter at all when you are flying F. QF really need to start having an IVR which recognizes the booking reference and sends that call through to VIP instead of the hapless overseas call centers.

Thank you Fiona. A voice of sensibility.
What you suggest is all I asked for; take us off the restriction that is Jetstar and put us on a QF flight.
Were I in charge of F this is exactly what I would do. By placing us on QF it means;

• We have a seamless transition through Sydney
• Carry on issues are alleviated
• The entire journey is an experience, not a struggle

Keep in mind we did not ask for JQ. It was given to us - and a Starter fare at that - and not until an hour ago when I did check the JQ booking did I get any sort of comfort that a) we had a decent checked allowance (50Kg/pax) and b) we did need to collect bags and re-check.
In addition, the email from the F team gave the barest detail. Catch a bus from T3 (well, we actually are arriving in T2), then zip through security and get yourself to the First lounge.
Not very helpful is it? They didn't even get the airline and terminal right for the connecting flight.

No mention of go to the First check in and we'll walk you through. No mention of any benefits.

To add insult, on every call I placed whilst on hold I was given the Platinum FF speil about how important I was and how I could enjoy the benefits. of being a Platinum. So QF was well aware this was a WP booking, and even the only person I spoke to in SA admitted she couldn't try a manual request as it would bounce do to my status. But not willing to even speak to a Supervisor.
And I was also told no rewards flights were avasilable full stop on the QF flight. Not even economy, nothing. Actually, we were offered a ex-Mel flight arriving into SYD at 1750. Some 3 hours after QF 1 had left. I kid you not. What do you do with that level of competancy?

You can call me grumpy, butthurt, naive for thinking we may get some thing better from JQ but the fact is; Qantas booked this trip and Qantas needs to recognise that the 2 hour NoStar trip is nothing compared to the 24 hour QF trip. I am still flying First class with a RRP of some $15,000. We are going on a cruise once we get to Europe and ourcruise which costs less than an F flight is providing us with a butler, detailed emabarkation and disembarkation plans along with maps, schedules and requirements. This is the level of service I personally expect for 'first class' travel and I do not apologise.

 

[smckay]

JQ is JQ not QF a totally seperate entity.

JQ do not offer any bells and whistles of any kind regardless of your status on any other airline or where you bought your ticket or where you are going on your next sector, they do not offer F and barely offer an imitation of J and then not domestic flights anyway.

Your F experience will not commence until.you are at the international terminal before your F flight on QF.

As you are obviously a frequent flyer I am flabagasted that you would expect anything different?

Qantas placed us on this flight.
We did not request it.
I am not asking for an F experience from HBA.
I want nothing to do with JQ.
I do want QF to say 'hey bad luck, we had to stick onto Jetstar but that's cool, you'll still enjoy the luggage and carry benefits as if you were on QF'. Complete end of story and we'd be like, no probs, it's 2 hours but we're gonna have one heck of a good time when we land.
Not happening.
I am asking for an F experience from Sydney, with F service as I have seen referred to. As an example Please refer to post #22 which mentions a kerbside valet. Please then refer to post #1 where the only email tells me to get to another terminal, chuff myself through to the F lounge and then start enjoying the 'experience'.Even that has the wrong info and ignores the fact we are on JQ and not QF.

You are right I am an experienced FF and this is not what what I expect.

 

[Kangol]

Enjoy your first F experience!
Can't comment on the JQ domestic connection part, but the F hosts are only at the international terminal.
If you have 2 cabin bags each - one under the seat and one in the overhead locker, what is the issue with that? JQ allows this in practice.
The escorting doesn't occur between domestic and international connections for anyone.
CL maybe, but I know of CLs who have to get the international connection bus on their own, like everyone else.

 

[RooFlyer]

@smckay as a fellow HBA originator I can fully sympathise with your situation.

My best advice is to repeat what @jase05 said and go to the QR lounge at Singapore. I did both a day ago and frankly the QR lounge was probably better as it was far less crowded. more attentive service and the menu frankly was a bit better. ( for me). it’s at the far end of the terminal probably the other direction from where Qantas first lounge is.

The QF F bed is pretty good, though.

 

[smckay]

Enjoy your first F experience!
Can't comment on the JQ domestic connection part, but the F hosts are only at the international terminal.
If you have 2 cabin bags each - one under the seat and one in the overhead locker, what is the issue with that? JQ allows this in practice.
The escorting doesn't occur between domestic and international connections for anyone.
CL maybe, but I know of CLs who have to get the international connection bus on their own, like everyone else.

I am possibly overthinking it but I saw that JQ were weighing bags in Mel last time we went there a few weeks back. I just do not want to be caught with 2 bags and be forced to pay their fee's.
Does it happen in HBA? I don't want to be the one to find out.

 

[RealtimeY]

You can purchase extra carry on baggage in advance to avoid the problem, but I wouldn't expect any lenience from JQ otherwise if they do weigh you and you exceed the 7kg.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just double checking, is it true qantas did not fly HBA-SYD on a sunday, not even a single service? Or via MEL?

As for the difficulties once the QF flight did become available, it’s well known that there’s a block in adding domestic connections to international awards, unless the connection is offered at the initial time of booking. Hobart can override that, but you need to get through to them first!

I am possibly overthinking it but I saw that JQ were weighing bags in Mel last time we went there a few weeks back. I just do not want to be caught with 2 bags and be forced to pay their fee's.
Does it happen in HBA? I don't want to be the one to find out.

7kg max per passenger, even if spread across two bags. And yes, they weigh bags at the gate!

 

[DC3]

… As a Qantas First customer, your journey with us begins from the moment you arrive at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport …

And not a moment before.

 

[smckay]

Just double checking, is it true qantas did not fly HBA-SYD on a sunday, not even a single service? Or via MEL?

As for the difficulties once the QF flight did become available, it’s well known that there’s a block in adding domestic connections to international awards, unless the connection is offered at the initial time of booking. Hobart can override that, but you need to get through to them first!

7kg max per passenger, even if spread across two bags. And yes, they weigh bags at the gate!

I don't recall the call but I think this was the best option at the time. I think it was only once the A220 arrived that QF did Sunday, but I might be mistaken.
+1 does not like flying so I probably avoided connections and sat with direct.

We've just spent an additional 2 hours re-packing so our stupid 2 carryons are less than 7Kg. If they want to charge they will have to go down below and hope they arriveat SYD.

I don't understand why they match the QF checked allowance but are miserable on carry on. My camera backpack would just fit under the seat but weighs ~10Kg on a light day.

You can purchase extra carry on baggage in advance to avoid the problem, but I wouldn't expect any lenience from JQ otherwise if they do weigh you and you exceed the 7kg.

$42 per 7Kg.
Given I paid First rewards points for the trip I don't want to stump up more.

 

[RooFlyer]

$42 per 7Kg.
Given I paid First rewards points for the trip I don't want to stump up more.

Given the overall cost of your trip, and especially the value of your camera gear that you might have to check otherwise, I would pay that as a relative trivial add-on.

 

[VPS]

Frustrating that people are assuming you are going to treat staff as punching bags when you've made it clear you are not.

Good luck with whatever transpires and enjoy the F lounge experience and the F flight and keep us posted

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I don't understand why they match the QF checked allowance but are miserable on carry on.

Most significant carrier rule. The most significant carrier determines the checked baggage allowance across your journey. That’s pretty much an international standard, so applies to many airlines.

The rule doesn’t apply to hand luggage however. So that’s why there’s a difference!

Makes sense because some airlines have no weight limits for hand luggage, so other airlines don’t want to be on the hook for that, either cost wise or safety wise.

 

[Pushka]

Tomorrow, we take our first ever First flight on QF1 doing both legs.
Excitement has been building with reviews read, menu's perused and seeing the Singapore First lounge.

Knowing that it is typical to receive a call from the First crew arranging spa treatments and hopefully some sort of kerbside meeting and personal escort to the lounge and arranging what type of spa treatment One would like, my hopes and dreams have been somewhat shattered.
At 0707 this morning an email was sent by the Sudney First team (my italics):

We look forward to welcoming you to Qantas First on your upcoming journey to London.
As a Qantas First customer, your journey with us begins from the moment you arrive at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport - starting with experiencing our First Lounge dining and spa, then once onboard, stretch out in the spacious surrounds of your individual suite.

Details of your Qantas First Journey
QF1 Sydney to London
10 August 2025 at 14:50
Seats 2K and 3K

Important information: As you’re arriving into Sydney on a Qantas domestic flight, please proceed to the International Terminal (T1) transfer area at Gate 15, within the Qantas Domestic Terminal (T3) for your complimentary transfer to T1. The Qantas Sydney First Lounge (T1) is located beyond security on the mezzanine level via the escalators.

Explore your exclusive First benefits

• First Lounge Spa

The Qantas x LaGaia Spa offers a range of treatments and massages designed for the frequent flyer with the change in atmosphere and altitude in mind. You can enquire about booking availability upon arrival into the lounge, or alternatively, please email [email protected] to arrange an appointment.

• Travel Documents

Before departure, it’s important to consider the travel documents you need including your valid passport and visas. Visit our travel documents and passport page for the latest information.

Thank you for choosing to fly with us, we look forward to welcoming you to Qantas First.

Warm Regards,

Sydney Qantas First Host Team
Huh? Get your sorry a**off the domestic flight (it's actually Jetstar ex-HBA) , onto a bus on then through security? Where's the dedicated First hosts? What about that fancy marble-walled check-in area I had access to as a Plat? What do you mean I have to see if I can get a spa booking? Didn't I pay for one?

So I respond; Thanks, I'll take 2 x spa bookings (I'll play your silly game and not nominate a time) and BTW we are actually flying Jetstarso how do we manage the cabin baggage issue? We'll have 2 cabin bags each and NoStar does not aprove of this misconduct.

Answer? 1.30pm booking and In regards to your Jetstar flight, you will be governed by Jetstar’s policy regarding your cabin bags.

So to this point QF has not impressed. TBH after looking at multiple reviews, video's and comments I am thinking our First journey is going to be more Business Plus than First Class.

In case you are wondering, we are on JQ because at the time of booking QF did not fly HBA-SYD on a Sunday and once they did start I had fallen from WP to SG and therefore my worth to QF was nothing and despite literally 30 calls to the call centre I have been told too bad, no QF flights available, can I help you with anything else.

This is not going to end well. Please be nice.

 

[smckay]

so our final plan is to load up the checked bags as we can do 32kg each, pull them down (lets be nasty and do it in the little First waiting area) and resume normal operations with the camera bag and roll on as hand luggage for QF.

But all it has done is cause and extremely stressed out wife who has had to repack 2 bags needlessly.

OK, stop freaking. We will not pull the bags down in the elitist area lest we upset someone. We'll do it inconspicously somewhere approved.