Maximising Cape Town to Melbourne experience

[coyote25]

Hi everyone,

Thanks to suggestions from AFF members I managed to get very cheap points via credit cards to fly Cape Town to Melbourne in business class. As a WP member I also found out I could request a J seat be released and so did QF for the long QF64 flight. So mission accomplished on the bookings

Now to maximise the return to Australia experience. I have the following flights booked;
- Cape Town to Johannesburg (BA6416 14.00 to 16.00)
- Johannesburg to Sydney (QF64 18.50 to 15.35 overnight flight)
- Sydney to Melbourne (QF459 18.00 to 19.35)

On BA6416 i have selected seat 1F (window exit row in J seems to have empty between this and 1D).

On QF64 I've select 5B there is no 5A so both a window and aisle. Read this was ideal seat on 747s with this configuration on AusBT.com.au but was tempted by upper deck.

On QF459 selected 3A which was last row of J but also first available to me as a WP member.

QUESTIONS
First I was wondering if these are the best flights and seats for single traveller returning to Melbourne. I ensured a bit of time between CPT-JNB (2.50) and SYD-MEL (2.25) flights. This should be enough right? JNB is the jet flight.

Second interested in best lounge at both CPT and JNB. CPT seems to be the SLOW Lounge. JNB doesn't seem as clear cut maybe BA Lounge?

Lastly will Comair (BA) check bag through to SYD? I know I have to clear customs in SYD and pick up bag there and recheck on DOM flight but was wondering about situation in South Africa domestic to international?

Thanks everyone for your amazing help so far. I'll put together a trip report for my NBO to CPT overland safari trip.

 

[Mattg]

Your seat choices seem fine, and 5B is a very good seat on the QF 747 for a solo traveller (assuming you get a refurbished 747). For your SYD-MEL flight, I would personally pick row 1 as you'll be at a bulkhead and also will be served first. You should be able to pick a seat further forward from 80 hours before the flight's scheduled departure time.

In JNB I would head to the BA lounge. You'll also have access to the Shongololo lounge, which is pretty good, but I think BA's lounge is better.

I haven't done a domestic-international connection in JNB, but I did do international-international (flying LVI-JNB-SYD on Comair/QF) and it was all very easy. Yes, Comair will be able to check your bag through to Sydney and issue your boarding passes all the way through to MEL. On arrival in SYD, you'll obviously need to collect your luggage and head to the Qantas domestic transfer counter.

 

[coyote25]

Your seat choices seem fine, and 5B is a very good seat on the QF 747 for a solo traveller (assuming you get a refurbished 747). For your SYD-MEL flight, I would personally pick row 1 as you'll be at a bulkhead and also will be served first. You should be able to pick a seat further forward from 80 hours before the flight's scheduled departure time.

In JNB I would head to the BA lounge. You'll also have access to the Shongololo lounge, which is pretty good, but I think BA's lounge is better.

Awesome thanks Mattg

 

[Imw]

Hi
We have done this trip Melbourne to Capetown 6 times in last 8 years and leaving again 10 feb Melbourne to Sydney, onto Jnb in qf63.
Overnight jnb and onto CPT on 11th Feb.

Return JNB to CPT on 24th Feb and then JNB to Melbourne 2 March.
We also use BA (Comair) to get QF FF points!
We personally prefer Shologolo lounge, rather than the BA lounge, or the Slow lounge at JNB. From memory BA was very sparce food wise offerings and very basic decor. But it's worth checking them all out if you have time and seeing which you prefer.
We are booked PE with points upgrade requested both long trips. Have been lucky to get both ways last two trips.
Will look forward to your trip report.

Your seat choices seem fine, and 5B is a very good seat on the QF 747 for a solo traveller (assuming you get a refurbished 747). For your SYD-MEL flight, I would personally pick row 1 as you'll be at a bulkhead and also will be served first. You should be able to pick a seat further forward from 80 hours before the flight's scheduled departure time.

In JNB I would head to the BA lounge. You'll also have access to the Shongololo lounge, which is pretty good, but I think BA's lounge is better.

I haven't done a domestic-international connection in JNB, but I did do international-international (flying LVI-JNB-SYD on Comair/QF) and it was all very easy. Yes, Comair will be able to check your bag through to Sydney and issue your boarding passes all the way through to MEL. On arrival in SYD, you'll obviously need to collect your luggage and head to the Qantas domestic transfer counter.

 

[SYD]

On BA6416 i have selected seat 1F (window exit row in J seems to have empty between this and 1D).

....

QUESTIONS
First I was wondering if these are the bst flights and seats for single traveller returning to Melbourne. I ensured a bit of time between CPT-JNB (2.50) and SYD-MEL (2.25) flights. This should be enough right? JNB is the jet flight.

Second interested in best lounge at both CPT and JNB. CPT seems to be the SLOW Lounge. JNB doesn't seem as clear cut maybe BA Lounge?

Lastly will Comair (BA) check bag through to SYD? I know I have to clear customs in SYD and pick up bag there and recheck on DOM flight but was wondering about situation in South Africa domestic to international?

Thanks everyone for your amazing help so far. I'll put together a trip report for my NBO to CPT overland safari trip.

Not long back from CPT myself. Did BA JNB-CPT but SA CPT-JNB then connected to QF.

BA down was ONLY whY - no J. As a WP, I was able to select 1C and 1D (aisle seats) a few days out. But we ended up having a row each to ourselves on Boxing Day! Your J fare has probably given you advance access to 'premium' whY seats.

BA should be able to check your bags all the way through (no need to collect in JNB). Transfer at JNB was ok - once you're back landslide, follow signs to your departure gate that takes you to security and immigration.

In JNB, we used the BA First Longe (seperate section to J lounge). Smallish, but not very busy - basically a few WPs going to SYD. Food and Bev was fine. Next door also is the Mos(h)onzho Lounge which had a QF sign and I confirmed at the front desk that it, BA and the Shongolo lounge are all options pre QF. I didn't sample the other two.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Is going via DXB a consideration, as I would go via DXB personally, if I were in your shoes.
Not that I have done it, (that route), but the shorter stints on the EK planes, that bar at the end of the J cabin of the 380 is really one of the best things that sets EK apart from QF.
I have also used the EK 777 plane too, and can't fault EK's service.
If I was a wine drinker, or alco, I would be deep into the plonk and know all the relevant names of the alco on board!
But I am only an early into to alco on board a plane, so in my case, while the alco served is nice, I like the food more.

 

[drron]

We preferred thye F section of the BA lounge to the other options mainly becauwse it was much quieter.but did have to insist on entry as QF had given us an invite to the Shologolo lounge-we had used that flying to Botswana-so didn't want to go again.BA F much quieter.

 

[SpudOz]

Your seat choices seem fine, and 5B is a very good seat on the QF 747 for a solo traveller (assuming you get a refurbished 747). For your SYD-MEL flight, I would personally pick row 1 as you'll be at a bulkhead and also will be served first. You should be able to pick a seat further forward from 80 hours before the flight's scheduled departure time.

In JNB I would head to the BA lounge. You'll also have access to the Shongololo lounge, which is pretty good, but I think BA's lounge is better.

I haven't done a domestic-international connection in JNB, but I did do international-international (flying LVI-JNB-SYD on Comair/QF) and it was all very easy. Yes, Comair will be able to check your bag through to Sydney and issue your boarding passes all the way through to MEL. On arrival in SYD, you'll obviously need to collect your luggage and head to the Qantas domestic transfer counter.

Heartily agree with you Mattg!

5B is great on the refurbed bird if travelling solo. Otherwise go for the old F section on the non refurbed bird.

BA lounge is far better in terms of food offerings than the Shongololo lounge although the BA lounge does look a bit tired.

Domestic - international transfer at JNB is not difficult either.

Enjoy the trip!

 

[Flying mermaid]

On BA6416 i have selected seat 1F (window exit row in J seems to have empty between this and 1D.

Second interested in best lounge at both CPT and JNB. CPT seems to be the SLOW Lounge. JNB doesn't seem as clear cut maybe BA Lounge?

Lastly will Comair (BA) check bag through to SYD? I know I have to clear customs in SYD and pick up bag there and recheck on DOM flight but was wondering about situation in South Africa domestic to international?.

Comair definitely run a J cabin most of the time. However they do sell all the seats. If the Comair flight is full then d,e and f will all be occupied. We generally book the two on the left hand side for this reason. CPT-jnb is generally quite full (depends on time of year of course).

Domestic SLOW lounges are excellent. In JNB international we go to the BA lounge - as a WP you can get into the F lounge and this is way better than the Shongololo lounge with food and drink offerings. It can get quite crowded later in the evening. It is also restricted on opening times, but given you don't have much time between flights that probably isn't an issue, as you won't be getting there early.

Comair used to check through, but with all the changes I have no idea - is it all on the same booking? If so, then they will definitely check through, if not then no idea.

 

[dttexitsign]

Hi coyote25,

I've done this trip almost quarterly for the last few years. BA should be able to tag the bags through to MEL, though noting collection in SYD for customs.

Here in CPT, the SLOW lounge is more than adequate. It's generally quieter upstairs, and also affords some sweeping views of the tarmac - if that's your thing. In JNB, the inter-terminal transfer is quite easy - use the immigration that you approach first (by KFC) as it's almost always shortest and as others have mentioned - the BA F lounge is your best bet as a WP. It's much quieter than J, though tends to get busy as the first BA flight departs not long after QF64 - book the showers on arrival if you need one as I've cut it fine a few times on busy days and almost missed out. Your connection time will be more than adequate as the inbound QF63 is often running up to an hour late.

On QF64, I value sleep most, thus I prefer to sit upstairs. 5B is a great seat on the refurb birds (can we still call them that now?) and quite coveted, though there is substantially more foot traffic rearwards to the toilets downstairs. Arrival into SYD is almost always easy as there's few international arrivals at that hour. My most recent trip yielded so few passengers that the express lane wasn't even open, and it was a couple of minutes before I was out in arrivals anyway.

Enjoy the trip.

 

[Guvner]

The only flight I would change is the SYD-MEL flight. I would go for an A330 flight in J maybe an hour later.

The timing is quite tight as it is. 15:35 landing (if on time) then you need to clear immigration/customs, get your bags, go to the transfer counter, recheck bags, then get the bus to domestic and make your way to the J lounge and then board at 17:40 ish. You'll be lucky to get 50 mins in the SYD lounge and that's with no delays (based on my experience of doing the exact same flights CPT/DUR-JNB-SYD-MEL a few times).

 

[coyote25]

Comair used to check through, but with all the changes I have no idea - is it all on the same booking? If so, then they will definitely check through, if not then no idea.

Same booking so hopefully will work at least until Sydney!

 

[coyote25]

The only flight I would change is the SYD-MEL flight. I would go for an A330 flight in J maybe an hour later.

The timing is quite tight as it is. 15:35 landing (if on time) then you need to clear immigration/customs, get your bags, go to the transfer counter, recheck bags, then get the bus to domestic and make your way to the J lounge and then board at 17:40 ish. You'll be lucky to get 50 mins in the SYD lounge and that's with no delays (based on my experience of doing the exact same flights CPT/DUR-JNB-SYD-MEL a few times).

Thanks Guvner I'll look at moving back to an A330 flight.

 

[Imw]

Update re this post. Just did the journey yesterday. Qf63 taxied out, the usual 30-40 mins late at Sydney only to have them announce there was minor fault with brakes that needed fixing so back to base where we sat waiting for updates. Eventually fixed but then they announced it was too hot 40.9 showing airport temp. We had to disembark, meal vouchers handed back or those of us with lounge access headed back to lounge.
Eventually recalled and told the ONLY wax we could leave, was to leave ALL the luggage behind. A logistical nightmare fir qantas handled well under trying circumstances.
The luggage is going on qf 63 flight today, though how you can double luggage is strange!! Anyway those who missed connections were assisted hotel eyc. We were overnighting already, so without any luggage at all headed to our hotel ready to return this morning for 9.15am flight to capetown. Our luggage is meant to follow sometime!!!
We were told we could spend $60 today on "essentials" to get us through and to keep receipts and qantas will reimburse. So that's the latest status. Oh and we didn't get our points upgrade to business!!! Though we were okay with PE, we hoping upgrade on way home 2 march comes through.
Steward said in 21 years flying he has never known them to retain luggage for everyone!!

 

[Flying mermaid]

Hope you get your luggage soon! Bit of a nightmare for anyone flying early the next day to a game reserve in Botswana or somewhere equally remote I gave up on connections with QF63 - it runs late a lot, so a night at the Intercontinental airport hotel is much more relaxing. Fingers crossed for your upgrade

 

[Imw]

Thanks flying mermaid. There were a number who were connecting to remote locations places!!
I think qantas put everyone who missed connections into the intercontinental so that was good. We usually go next day when Connie ting into cape.
We in the SLOW lounge currently waiting for our Capetown flight. We will pick up hirecar and go shopping for our essentials!!!
!

Hope you get your luggage soon! Bit of a nightmare for anyone flying early the next day to a game reserve in Botswana or somewhere equally remote I gave up on connections with QF63 - it runs late a lot, so a night at the Intercontinental airport hotel is much more relaxing. Fingers crossed for your upgrade

 

[drivatruk]

Id be hoping out of the F seat on the CPT-JNB leg. Last time i flew that route it was full and there where 3 seats in the right hand side all full. 32 inch pitch also if i remember correctly. I go the A side.

 

[coyote25]

Id be hoping out of the F seat on the CPT-JNB leg. Last time i flew that route it was full and there where 3 seats in the right hand side all full. 32 inch pitch also if i remember correctly. I go the A side.

Done I now have 1A (like the sound of that!)