Minimum connection time for (QF) SYD Dom to Int - time for a review?

[Fantic125]

This is the sixth time this year flying into SYD from ADL and having to transfer from Dom to Int.

A few of my flights lately have been on a Sunday, which means the earliest flight out of ADL is 07:00, arriving 09:35 (scheduled) with connecting Int flights departing either 10:35 or 10:45. According to the Qantas site 60 mins is the MCT. All well and good, however the last 3 flights into SYD have all been delayed for 10 ~ 20 mins due to weather or "technical reasons".

Each time I've made this connection lately it seems a bit more precarious. I've made it each time (just) but the stress levels are rising each time.

Of course today where I had the absolute minimum MCT (09:35 arr, 10:35 dpt) the baggage gods were against me. I made the flight (last person on the transfer bus otherwise that would have been another 10~20 minute wait). Unfortunately my bag was not so lucky and missed the connection to Shanghai.

Red Roo, possibly time to reconsider the MCT? Particularly given the union action at this point?

 

[serfty]

Have you considered overnighting in SYD?

Aside from accomodation/transfer costs there would be no further expense¹ since it wouldn't be considered a stopover being not more than 24 hours².

If the Shanghai flight was scheduled 5 mins earlier or the Adelaide flight 5 mins later would would not have a choice.

¹ Other than your time, I guess.

² International journey - domestic is normally "same day".

 

[whughes3]

Allowing only 60 minutes for this connection is frankly foolhardy...as the OP notes, the slightest delay anywhere and you are in serious trouble. A prudent minimum is 90 minutes, and the QF guidelines should reflect this.

 

[harvyk]

Allowing only 60 minutes for this connection is frankly foolhardy...as the OP notes, the slightest delay anywhere and you are in serious trouble. A prudent minimum is 90 minutes, and the QF guidelines should reflect this.

Agree 100%, I personally wouldn't feel overly comfortable with anything less than 2 hours, as all it takes is a delayed plane somewhere, missing the bus \ train by 1 minute or an extra long wait at emmigration \ security and your time has completely gone... It's interesting that QF insist that PAX check in for international flights where they are already at T1 no less than 60 minutes prior, and yet they have no problem with a DOM-INT of only 60 minutes where at the 60 minute mark your not even at T1, and you have to rely on public transport (includes the QBus) to get you there on time.

 

[Justchecking]

I give myself 3hr connections, when connecting on different airlines. While that may seem excessive to some I find it gives me a comfort window without a lot of waiting around. If you have lounge access does a bit a waiting here and there really matter too much anyway? By the time I've checked in and passed immigration I'm not usually waiting more than 40mins anyway. Flying in and out of Sydney you should expect a 30min delay no matter what. It's Sydney, planes sit on tarmacs waiting for takeoff, land on remote runways, take forever to taxi, have to wait for gates.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Allowing only 60 minutes for this connection is frankly foolhardy...as the OP notes, the slightest delay anywhere and you are in serious trouble. A prudent minimum is 90 minutes, and the QF guidelines should reflect this.

What about not giving yourself time to enjoy the Flounge in SYD as you're WP! :shock: Surely that make's it worth paying for a nights accomm in SYD. You want to enjoy your trip & you can't do that when you are stressing about missing your international flight.

If you travelled on a Monday you could get QF82 ADL/SYD 0850/1115 & not only would you do all customs formalities in ADL, you arrive at the international terminal in SYD so don't have to stress about missing the shuttle bus from the domestic terminal. That way you can spend more time Flounging & less worrying.

I guess it depends where you are flying to ex SYD & whether that would suit a QF82 arrival.

Where are you flying to next trip?

 

[simongr]

Changing the MCT is not going to make it any easier to make a connection from ADL to an International flight if the gap between the earliest flight into SYD and the scheduled flight out is only 60 mins.

Also doesnt this benefit the pax - if the MCT is too short and the pax misses the flight then QF have to accommodate the pax so you can relax on your flight knowing that even if the gap is only 60 mins you should get to your destination eventually rather than them increasing the MCT and defaulting to you taking a later outbound flight which might be the last one out...

 

[Fantic125]

Allowing only 60 minutes for this connection is frankly foolhardy...as the OP notes, the slightest delay anywhere and you are in serious trouble. A prudent minimum is 90 minutes, and the QF guidelines should reflect this.

Unfortunately pretty well all my travel is business based, and our company uses QBT for flight bookings. I knew the connection time was tight but unfortunately there are no earlier flights out of ADL on a Sunday.

What about not giving yourself time to enjoy the Flounge in SYD as you're WP! :shock: Surely that make's it worth paying for a nights accomm in SYD. You want to enjoy your trip & you can't do that when you are stressing about missing your international flight.

If you travelled on a Monday you could get QF82 ADL/SYD 0850/1115 & not only would you do all customs formalities in ADL, you arrive at the international terminal in SYD so don't have to stress about missing the shuttle bus from the domestic terminal. That way you can spend more time Flounging & less worrying.

I guess it depends where you are flying to ex SYD & whether that would suit a QF82 arrival.

Where are you flying to next trip?

For my last trip two weeks ago (ADL-SYD-HKG-BLR) I overnighted in SYD to ensure I didn't have any issues (and to get valuable Flounge time). Wasn't really an option this trip as it was my son's birthday on Saturday so I wanted to be home for that (having missed his last two due to travelling).

QF082 could possibly be an option however I usually need to start meetings, etc either Monday or Tuesday so travelling on the weekend is usually the situation. With my flight yesterday (ADL-SYD-PVG-CAN) I arrived at the hotel at 01:30 this morning and my first meeting starts at 12:30 today.

My next flight out (30 Oct, ADL-SYD-HKG-BLR) QBT have me booked on QF732 again, so I'll most probably overnight in SYD like I did a few weeks ago.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Unfortunately pretty well all my travel is business based, and our company uses QBT for flight bookings. I knew the connection time was tight but unfortunately there are no earlier flights out of ADL on a Sunday.

For my last trip two weeks ago (ADL-SYD-HKG-BLR) I overnighted in SYD to ensure I didn't have any issues (and to get valuable Flounge time). Wasn't really an option this trip as it was my son's birthday on Saturday so I wanted to be home for that (having missed his last two due to travelling).

QF082 could possibly be an option however I usually need to start meetings, etc either Monday or Tuesday so travelling on the weekend is usually the situation. With my flight yesterday (ADL-SYD-PVG-CAN) I arrived at the hotel at 01:30 this morning and my first meeting starts at 12:30 today.

My next flight out (30 Oct, ADL-SYD-HKG-BLR) QBT have me booked on QF732 again, so I'll most probably overnight in SYD like I did a few weeks ago.

CX now have a new thrice weekly non-stop flight CX174 ADL/HKG 0745/1400 which is 8 hours 45 mins on Mon/Thu/Sat which allows you to spend an extra night at home with your family & would give you a lot more options for connecting flights on to other Asian cities on CX or KA same day with a decent arrival time. :idea:

QBT book DJ for the Defence contract so I don't know why they can't book you CX for your company. They can't not book any airline because they then become less competitive than other travel agents.

 

[Fantic125]

CX now have a new thrice weekly non-stop flight CX174 ADL/HKG 0745/1400 which is 8 hours 45 mins on Mon/Thu/Sat which allows you to spend an extra night at home with your family & would give you a lot more options for connecting flights on to other Asian cities on CX or KA same day with a decent arrival time. :idea:

QBT book DJ for the Defence contract so I don't know why they can't book you CX for your company. They can't not book any airline because they then become less competitive than other travel agents.

Thanks ozbeachbabe, next round of flights I'll ask them to look at CX availability. I've flown QF081 & SQ278 a number of times to get to SIN, but it's only been recently that my HKG flights have increased.