Landside arrival to Virgin (and Jetstar?) after rail

[RooFlyer]

I guess due to building works at Sydney Airport but my arrival on the train this morning to Virgin was rather coughbersome.

After an escalator from the platform up to ground level, directed right along the baggage carousel area to the far end and then a single long line of pax waiting to go through a single scanning machine (modern type) and then up the escalator to the airside food court area between the Virgin and Jetstar piers. There was a Jetstar bag drop before security but I didn’t see a Virgin one. They might have been a sign to go upstairs to check in, but I didn’t see it.

As luck would have it, right in front of me was a tour group of international travellers who it seems had never gone through airport security in their lives. Plus the scanner thing was giving false positives to just about every second passenger. Including me, who apparently had something concealed under his cotton shirt on his shoulder.

 

[Human]

I've used that downstairs security screening many times, but never with luggage to check in. I'm surprised you were "directed" there, but that terminal is such a scmhozzle at the moment that you're not the first person I've heard from who's been given incorrect directions by staff.

I'm not sure that the downstairs screenng is a timesaver any more, now that the new screening is in place upstairs. Or are you saying that this morning the entire upstairs (departure level) screening zone was out of action?

 

[RooFlyer]

Or are you saying that this morning the entire upstairs (departure level) screening zone was out of action?

There were staff from the top of the escalator coming up from the railway platform, through the baggage area, right through to the security screen point, directing people in that direction. I don’t think I’ve ever used Virgin after the railway so I just assumed building works were stopping people going in a different way.

 

[Harrison_133]

There were staff from the top of the escalator coming up from the railway platform, through the baggage area, right through to the security screen point, directing people in that direction. I don’t think I’ve ever used Virgin after the railway so I just assumed building works were stopping people going in a different way.

It's normal for staff/volunteers to be at the top of the escalators directing people towards the downstairs security point, but usually only if you have carry-on only.

There are Virgin desks at the temporary downstairs bag drop in addition to the Jetstar ones, although they're only used during limited hours.

I'm not sure that the downstairs screenng is a timesaver any more, now that the new screening is in place upstairs. Or are you saying that this morning the entire upstairs (departure level) screening zone was out of action?

I've also noticed it's not always open now the upstairs security has been upgraded.

 

[RooFlyer]

Oh, OK. As I said, I think I’ve not done Virgin after the rail before and it just seemed like a special operation, but apparently not.

 

[SeaWolf]

There's usually a placard (like this) at the top of the escalators coming out of the train station that points people to "Express Security" (the downstairs security) and has on it that you need to already have your boarding pass and be travelling carry on only and lists the hours (previously I think it was 6am to 6pm). But even before the current construction I've seen that placard turned around, kicked over, and even sat on.

It was the first security point in that terminal to get upgraded to the new baggage scanners, but still had a traditional metal detector for people. The last few times I've been through T2 (usually around 3pm on a weekday) it hasn't been open, so I'm not sure what its operating hours are now. It's original purpose was for passengers connecting in from regional airports that didn't have security. The passengers on those flights get spat out into the baggage claim area right next to it. Normally it is absolutely dead and there isn't a queue at all except for maybe a lone staff member going through.