PER Domestic to International Transfer

[NM]

Has anyone transferred from QF Domestic to QF International at PER? The info on Qantas and Perth Airport web sites tell me the bus transfer is free if I collect a voucher from the QF Ticket Sales desk. But wondering how regularly the bus operates and how long I can expect it to take from arriving at the domestic terminal to getting off the bus at the international terminal.

The Perth Airport site indicates the bus is scheduled to coincide with international departures, but what does that mean?

And any comments on the PER International Qantas Club lounge?

 

[JohnK]

I have done the PER domestic to international once or twice. It is the PER international to domestic after midnight that is a nightmare.

It is quite correct that if you go to the QF ticket sales desk they will give you a complimentary ticket for the bus transfer. Now there is only bus, I think, and is supposed to run every 20 minutes but sometimes gets sidetracked. When you get your ticket just go to the end of the terminal and you will see a phone. Pick up the phone and someone will answer and just inform them that you are ready to go to international terminal and they will advise whereabouts and ETA of the bus.

The bus should in theory take around 12-15 minutes to transfer from one terminal to the other. If everything goes to plan it should not take more than 30-45 minutes to get from domestic to international, depending on where the bus is when you arrive, but I would budget for 1 hour, possibly a little more to be on the safe side.

Now I am assuming that you will be one of two QF flights to SIN and here is the bad news. If nothing has changed then immigration does not open until 1:30-2:00 hours before the flight and generally the Qantas lounge only opens 1:30 hours before departure. If for some reason you get to the Qantas lounge a little earlier and look like a lost puppy they may open the doors a little earlier for you.

The facilities in the Qantas Lounge are adequate but nothing flash. I have not seen it packed and I think there are 4 PCs but not sure about wireless access. If you have a longer transit and you are Oneworld Emerald then stay at the PER Qantas domestic lounge for as long as possible.

There are a couple of threads on AFF you could search for more information. My information is from 2006 and early 2007.

 

[NM]

I have done the PER domestic to international once or twice. It is the PER international to domestic after midnight that is a nightmare.

Yep, the opposite direction middle of the night nightmare has been well noted.

The bus should in theory take around 12 minutes to transfer from one terminal to the other. If everything goes to plan it should not take more than 30-45 minutes to get from domestic to international but I would budget for 1 hour if possible.

Now I am assuming that you will be one of two QF flights to SIN and here is the bad news. If nothing has changed then immigration does not open until 1:30-2:00 hours before the flight and generally the Qantas lounge only opens 1:30 hours before departure. If for some reason you get to the Qantas lounge a little earlier and look like a lost puppy they may open the doors a little earlier for you.

Yeah, I thought about taking QF565 over, since it looks to be the same aircraft that will operate QF77. However, I had heard about the window for immigration and lounge being somewhat limited. So I am on QF575 which provides a 1:45 connection, so no issue with the lounge or immigration not being open when I get there. But I suspect we may have a very short stay in the lounge this time.

As it turns out, the only way to get to KUL same-say with OneWorld is to get QF77 from PER to connect with JL721 SIN-KUL (or QF81 from ADL on days it operates, which it does not on the day I will be travellng). Hopefully QF575 will have a 744 subbed for the planned 743.

 

[stryker]

Yep, the opposite direction middle of the night nightmare has been well noted.

It's not just "middle of the night" either. I arrived at the PER Intl terminal at 9 pm recently and had to catch a cab to Domestic for $20. Ouch!

A great airport!

What's with Australia having this penchant for separate domestic and international terminals at opposite sides of the airfield?

 

[Evan]

1:45 is ok to transfer. Just, not much lounge time, i do this transfer lot on SIN-PER-MEL and opp direction.

As it turns out, the only way to get to KUL same-say with OneWorld is to get QF77 from PER to connect with JL721 SIN-KUL (or QF81 from ADL on days it operates, which it does not on the day I will be travellng). Hopefully QF575 will have a 744 subbed for the planned 743.

I know you said "some-say" but to clarify it for people wondering...
SIN-KUL the only OW connection from SIN is the evening flights by JL as an extension from KIX-SIN-KUL and KUL-SIN-KIX.

The possible connections to KUL are... (That i know of)
NRT-KUL (JL723)
KIX-SIN-KUL or SIN-KUL (JL721)
HKG-KUL (CX723,725,721 flying 2 times a day or 3 some days)

The only one i have flown before is the JL721 flight, its the old cradle seats in J but comfortable enough for a SIN-KUL leg.

E

 

[NM]

I know you said "some-say" but to clarify it for people wondering...
SIN-KUL the only OW connection from SIN is the evening flights by JL as an extension from KIX-SIN-KUL and KUL-SIN-KIX.

The possible connections to KUL are... (That i know of)
NRT-KUL (JL723)
KIX-SIN-KUL or SIN-KUL (JL721)
HKG-KUL (CX723,725,721 flying 2 times a day or 3 some days)

The only one i have flown before is the JL721 flight, its the old cradle seats in J but comfortable enough for a SIN-KUL leg.

E

What I meant was "Same-Day" connection to KUL from Australia, especially on a 13,000 mile Circle Asia fare which basically means you need to go via SIN. All QF and BA flights Austalia-SIN except QF81 and QF77 arrive too late into SIN to connect with JL721.

 

[HardieBoys]

Did the domestic to international transfer in late December. Perth was in the middle of a heatwave, and it was 40 C when we arrived from Sydney. The domestic terminal's airconditioning was broken. As there were 40 transfers to the international terminal, there was a bus ready, and they didn't bother with tickets. The bus' airconditioning was also malfunctioning due to the heat.

The international terminal's club is on the small side, and has no windows. There were passengers waiting to go to South Africa and to Singapore, and there was just enough seating. Usual showers, PC terminals, self-serve bar and limited food range.

Rumour has it that the two terminals in Perth were strategically located in different electorates.

On boarding our flight to Singapore, the temperature, which was 42 C on the tarmac, resulted in some kind of miscalculation with refuelling. The relevant truck had driven away, and had to be recalled, resulting in a 45 minute delay.

Overall, the entire experience was utterly unimpressive.

 

[JohnK]

For anyone interested here is the original thread I posted last year on Transit in Perth International Airport!!.