My First Status Run (Sort Of)

[jsd]

Hi,

I'm looking at doing my first status run up the east coast, except its not really for status (I'm using up various MPD's and cancelled booking credits, I've done my research and come up with this itinerary:


--Saturday 28th August--

QF1010 - HBA - MEL

QF2138 - MEL - CBR (Another first for me, A CRASH8 flight)

QF1422 - CBR - SYD

DJ 965 - SYD - BNE

--Thursday? 16th September--

DJxx_ (Not Sure) - BNE - SYD

DJ1513 - SYD - HBA



My only concern with this is the connection time between QF1422 & DJ965, I called DJ and the desk staff said it should be OK! which got me a bit worried, on the plus side I don't have to change terminals as i'm arriving on a QantasLink service.

QF1422 Arrives into SYD at 14:40 PM

&

DJ965 Departs SYD at 17:00 PM

leaving a layover time of 2hr 20m, is this enough time:?: the prospect of missing cheap priced flights worries me. Does anyone know how busy SYD T2 is on a Saturday or whether QF1422 is usually on time or not?


A big rant for me I know, but I just want to be 100% certain before I book


Josh


F.Y.I: I will have checked baggage with me

 

[harvyk]

Qantaslink CBR flights normally use T3 at SYD, not T2 (they have everytime I've used them), I'd be triple checking that itin as you may need to get from T3 to T2 and get through security again... It may eat into your timings...

Also note that arriving on a Dash 8 into CBR you'll need to go through security again in CBR, as non - areobridge arrivals use arrival gate G which goes straight into landside next to the baggage claim...

Enjoy the dash 8... Every FF needs to go on one once, just to see how nice the jets really are...

 

[jsd]

T3 - Qantas Sydney Domestic Airport:
Qantas Domestic flights QF400-QF1599 operate from this terminal.
Note: QantasLink Canberra departures and arrivals operate from this terminal.

I didn't see this before, so how are my chances now if we add the fact that I need to change terminals

 

[harvyk]

Still more than enough time, just remember that you do need to change terminals.

 

[2muchplastic]

Plenty of time! Out of the front of T3, cut through the centre of the car park and into T2 in about 5 minutes. I find that there is normally much more of a queue for security in T2 than T3, but still very easily doable.

Enjoy!

 

[JohnK]

At 2h 20m you should have more than enough time even taking into consideration the transfer from T3 to T2. In my experience Saturdays is usually a slow day anyway. Also if something does go wrong there is another CBR-SYD flight QF1476 that gets into SYD at 15:45.

 

[harvyk]

The other choice is after you pick up your bags, find the signs for the train. (Facing the baggage belts it will be on your right)

Follow them it will take you to a very long corridor, follow that through to the end (don't turn left half way through, that will take you to the trains.)

Head back up stairs and your in T2, there is a escalator near by which will take you up to departures. This is the way I usually go to go between T3 and T2...

 

[jsd]

Also if something does go wrong there is another CBR-SYD flight QF1476 that gets into SYD at 15:45.

I would assume that QF would put me on that one if 1422 was cancelled for some reason, I would be on a classic award BTW (It was 8000 direct to SYD from MEL, or still 8000 for MEL-CBR-SYD, the more flying the better)


Has anyone planned their travels this far ahead & want to meet somewhere, I have DJ lounge access


Josh

 

[JohnK]

I would assume that QF would put me on that one if 1422 was cancelled for some reason, I would be on a classic award BTW (It was 8000 direct to SYD from MEL, or still 8000 for MEL-CBR-SYD, the more flying the better)

I would hazard a guess and say that the loads at that time on Saturday should be not be high so I don't see a problem with QF putting you on the later flight if the earlier flight was cancelled for some reason.

Has anyone planned their travels this far ahead & want to meet somewhere, I have DJ lounge access

I am booked up through to end of June. Did not like the latest QF specials at $89 for SYD-BNE. Saturday is not a good day for me anyway.

 

[jsd]

You could be flexible for a Saturday, the DJ flight on a go fare is only $69 without bags

C'mon!!!!



Josh

 

[jsd]

Another question, what is my carry-on allowance on Qantaslink flights?, on mainline jet services I usually take my backpack and laptop+case, im assuming there is a different allowance for the crash-8


Josh

 

[harvyk]

Sort of...

You may still take two carry on bags, in the cabin itself you are limited to no more than 4 kg, however the other one can be upto 7 kg.

One will be tagged as "premium hand luggage", just before you board the plane you'll need to leave the premium tagged bag at the bottom of the stairs and they will place it into the hold for you. When you arrive in at the end of the flight you will be given the bag back as you exit the plane.

I'm personally happy enough to use PHL for more expensive items including laptops and the like (inside a larger, non typical laptop sized bag) because you see it go onto the plane, and you see it come off again at your destination. Don't leave the side of the A/C until you have you PHL, as it doesn't come out at baggage claim.

You get the tags for PHL on boarding, just ask for a PHL tag when the ground staff give your boarding pass back to you, they ask which bag you want tagged, they will place a tag on the bag and hand you a paper slip.

 

[jsd]

So I would take my laptop in the cabin and have my backpack tagged as PHL as the gate, there would be nothing of importance in my backpack, just magazines, presents for family etc. anything i accumulate on the dash8 i can just stick in my laptop bag and transfer it to my backpack at SYD

What is CBR airport like? (I'm only there for 55min, no QC access)



Josh

 

[harvyk]

Take lappy into cabin, get backpack tagged as PHL...

CBR airport is right now a construction site. Up stairs once your past security if you don't have lounge access then there is nothing, so if you want a cup of coffee or something like that you'll need to stay down stairs land side. That said a mate of mine was there this morning and he said he couldn't find coffee anywhere (although he may have been talking airside).

That said, it may have all changed by August, so can't really say...

 

[Sprucegoose]

Is QF1010 on the ground overnight Josh?