Group SYD-LAX-SFO Booking: VA or QF?

[Mwenenzi]

I know this may be an unpopular suggestion but I think with a group of around 20 people a direct flight might be more sound logistically. On that basis I would consider United's direct flight from SYD-SFO. Yes it's operated on a 747 from the stone age..

United will be operating B777 from sometime soon (Q2). Delta & Hawaiian are other options

 

[serfty]

Your flight from X-SYD will need to be on the same ticket as the SYD-LAX-SFO for this to work, so your baggage can be tagged through. Virgin won't tag your bags through to SFO from your point of origin if the domestic sector is a separate ticket. Your international BPs will be issued at the transfer lounge in SYD.
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This is possible only if the bags have been tagged through to SFO

There are check-in counters at the transfer part of TBIT arrivals where you can check-in and get bags tagged and checked through to SFO even if on separate tickets and it were not already done in SYD. Last Saturday week I went this way to review what I had been advised on this and there were counters operating for VX, DL, AA, UA etc.

 

[TomVexille]

United will be operating B777 from sometime soon (Q2). Delta & Hawaiian are other options

UA will be 777 from the end of this month, 29th for SYD-LAX and 31st for SYD-SFO.

 

[OccasionalFlyer]

There are check-in counters at the transfer part of TBIT arrivals where you can check-in and get bags tagged and checked through to SFO even if on separate tickets and it were not already done in SYD. Last Saturday week I went this way to review what I had been advised on this and there were counters operating for VX, DL, AA, UA etc.

Thanks for the first-hand info So, assuming that all the sectors X-SYD-LAX-SFO are on a single ticket then I should be issued with all three BPs at the point of origin? When we arrive in Sydney we don't need to check-in at the transfer lounge, but can instead just get our ticket for the bus (?) from the desk? In TBIT do we need to check-in for the Virgin America flight, or is it just a bag drop (as when transferring from Qantas QF11 to an American Airlines connection)?

 

[serfty]

In TBIT you have to clear Immigration and Customs then wheel your bags up the ramp signposted "Transfer" or something like that.

When you arrive at the redeposit area you should be able to either 1) Redeposit if thay have already been tagged to SFO or 2) Check them in afresh where signed for VX, they would take the bags and you won't see them until SFO. You'd then walk outside, go upstairs to departures then head left for the short walk around to T3.

Note that a recheck counter might be set up to service more than one carrier.

 

[Bolthead]

In TBIT you have to clear Immigration and Customs then wheel your bags up the ramp signposted "Transfer" or something like that.

When you arrive at the redeposit area you should be able to either 1) Redeposit if thay have already been tagged to SFO or 2) Check them in afresh where signed for VX, they would take the bags and you won't see them until SFO. You'd then walk outside, go upstairs to departures then head left for the short walk around to T3.

That's good news... I am going to SJC with VX after my VA1 flight however it is not on the same ticket as my VA flight is a reward flight and the LAX-SJC is paid. Last time we went to FLL we had to recheck our bags in T3.

 

[OccasionalFlyer]

In TBIT you have to clear Immigration and Customs then wheel your bags up the ramp signposted "Transfer" or something like that.

When you arrive at the redeposit area you should be able to either 1) Redeposit if thay have already been tagged to SFO or 2) Check them in afresh where signed for VX, they would take the bags and you won't see them until SFO. You'd then walk outside, go upstairs to departures then head left for the short walk around to T3.

Note that a recheck counter might be set up to service more than one carrier.

Thanks, that seems the same as Qantas / American Airlines. Is it a fair assumption that the bags will be tagged through to SFO, assuming that all the flights are on the same ticket?

Anything that I need to know when transferring between T2 and T1 in Sydney?

I appreciate the responses - managing a group is a tricky task at the best of times, so I want to be prepared and know what I need to do.

 

[serfty]

The Virgin Australia Sydney T2-T1 transit uses the "T" bus- you get picked up airside, then you head landside to the T2 and T3 'loop' to pick up/drop off those paying for the transfer before heading to T1.

There's a tearoff tag on your BP folder given at check-in - this is your bus ticket.

 

[notzac]

Anything that I need to know when transferring between T2 and T1 in Sydney?

Just to add to what serfty wrote - the transfer area at SYD T2 is downstairs from gate 40 (I think?) and it's got plenty of room to sit and wait for the bus (and fill out departure cards, if your group members haven't already done so). If anyone needs a bus ticket, the customer service desk in the transfer area will be able to provide them.

 

[OccasionalFlyer]

Great, thanks for the advice. Good to know there's plenty of room in the T2 transfer area. So, the consensus is that we should receive all three boarding passes (SYD, LAX, SFO) at our original point of departure, so all we need to do once we have arrived at T2 is transfer to T1?