QF to SQ Transfer - Changi - recent experiences?

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hopefulQFF

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Hi all,

Quick question about using the transfer desks at Changi. I have flights booked to Europe that consist of a BNE-SIN return on Qantas with the SIN-Europe return on SQ inbetween.

I know there is no interline agreement between QF and SQ (oneworld v star alliance). I was therefore expecting to have to clear immigration, grab my bags from the QF flight (Terminal 1), transfer to Terminal 3 and check in, clear immigration etc. This is no major issue as Changi is very straightforward and efficient and I have plenty of time between flights (>4 hours).

However, I have recently read a few (dated) reviews where people have successfully disembarked, gone to a 'Transfer Desk/Counter' at Changi (airside) and organised for their bags to be transferred using their bag tags/stickers as a reference. Apparently Changi divert your bags to the next flight even if you are not on a Star Alliance partner airline. I have not been able to find anything that confirms this happens between QF and SQ. If this is possible it is preferable to stay airside and maximise my time lounging about rather than getting a sweat on getting bags and re-checking in.

If relevant, I am travelling J on both and I am QF SG and Velocity Gold.

I would appreciate insight/feedback from anyone who has done this in the last ~2 years or has a good understanding of how this works/if it is possible.

If I have to grab my bags it's not an issue, I'm just being as efficient as possible! I will x-post this on the SQ board.

Many thanks.
 
I believe that's how it works (and Changi is one of the few places I'd trust it).

Albeit with the generally limited immigration queues and quick baggage to belts I've tended to do it myself.
 
Shouldn't be an issue in SIN. I think you need to head over to transfer A or B in Terminal 3 with your luggage receipts.

We just had an EK-3K connection in SIN and luggage was tagged through to BKK in BNE and we went to transfer C and received 3K boarding passes and they noted each of the luggage receipts on their system.
 
Shouldn't be an issue in SIN. I think you need to head over to transfer A or B in Terminal 3 with your luggage receipts.

We just had an EK-3K connection in SIN and luggage was tagged through to BKK in BNE and we went to transfer C and received 3K boarding passes and they noted each of the luggage receipts on their system.


@JohnK : Tagged to final in BNE even though on 2 separate tickets?. Is this an EK benefit or only because you are transiting through SIN so allowed by EK?

And what if the 1st airline only tags bags to SIN?
Do you then on arrival go to a transfer desk where they will locate bags and retag without you having to retrieve bags?
 
@JohnK : Tagged to final in BNE even though on 2 separate tickets?. Is this an EK benefit or only because you are transiting through SIN so allowed by EK?

And what if the 1st airline only tags bags to SIN?
Do you then on arrival go to a transfer desk where they will locate bags and retag without you having to retrieve bags?
I had 2 Qantas bookings, one booking SYD-BNE on QF and then BNE-SIN on EK and SIN-BKK on 3K in other Qantas booking.

In SYD QF refused to check through to BKK as they said BNE-SIN flight was next day but they did this for us in September. Also if same booking they would have checked through to BKK. Unless things have changed since September this was poor customer service.

In BNE at EK check-in on the QF booking the bags were checked through to BKK but they do not issue boarding passes for 3K flight and we had to get these boarding pass at transfer desk in SIN. We will have the reverse in April and I suspect no issues then either other than collecting EK boarding passes in SIN.

I have now done multiple connections in SIN many times with many different carriers and have never been refused bags to be retagged through by transfer desk on any connection. I think someone mentioned Scoot does not do it but I have never flown Scoot.
 
@JohnK , How does Changi intercept and retag bags when passenger requests a retag at transfer desk. I would imagine that bags tagged to SIN will be unloaded to a carousel. Does Changi send an agent to pickup a bag if it already made it onto the carousel?

BTW is 3K ok?
 
@JohnK , How does Changi intercept and retag bags when passenger requests a retag at transfer desk. I would imagine that bags tagged to SIN will be unloaded to a carousel. Does Changi send an agent to pickup a bag if it already made it onto the carousel?

BTW is 3K ok?
The bags are intercepted manually by SIN baggage services even if luggage makes it to carousel and then left luggage.

3K is OK. Transfer C near the EK lounge. Passport and luggage tags from previous flight.
 
The bags are intercepted manually by SIN baggage services even if luggage makes it to carousel and then left luggage.

3K is OK. Transfer C near the EK lounge. Passport and luggage tags from previous flight.
That’s impressive service and i understand it’s free?. Well worth the $3 airport fees for a transit and recent increase if that’s the case.
 
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@JohnK , How does Changi intercept and retag bags when passenger requests a retag at transfer desk. I would imagine that bags tagged to SIN will be unloaded to a carousel. Does Changi send an agent to pickup a bag if it already made it onto the carousel?

BTW is 3K ok?
Same way they can do it at any airport. Check the tag number in the system. That will tell them where it is. Then depending on the location, either send someone to collect, retag and redirect, or the baggage system will redirect it to a holding area where someone can retag it.
It's possible at any airport with an automated baggage system. Just few airports will offer it as a standard thing. It's normally just used in the case of irregular ops.
A few years ago, I had a CAE-PHL-LGA flight. Delays meant a misconnect would happen and after discussing the issue with US ground staff, I was rebooked to CAE-CLT-JFK. The agent located my bags in the system and called down to baggage handling. The bags were located and retagged in minutes.
 
@Himeno , I wish this can be a normal airport service. Would be a boon for BFOD
The service is available in HKG and I have used in the past. Service is also available in BKK but somewhat limited to the ~3 hours before departure that check-in is open. And I believe service is also available in KUL.
 
@Himeno , I wish this can be a normal airport service. Would be a boon for BFOD

Why is BFOD important in this context? As long as all the carriers involved use a decent departure control system (ie. not Navitaire), most carriers will through-check the bags just fine if it's all on one PNR, in or out of alliance. I've done quite a few out of alliance through-checks on one PNR.
 
Sure - if on one PNR.
BFOD can work better if not on one PNR. (I’m sure nothing is absolute)

Changi as I understand it, allows luggage transfer across different PNR whether alliance or not.

@JohnK , I wonder if the PNR agnostic luggage transfer service requires a minimum processing time - say less than 1 hour before next departure
 
In most cases on legacy carriers, you can do BFOD and still be all on one PNR.

Possibly, but not having to be tied to one PNR adds much flexibility to a BFOD strategy. That’s what BFOD is all about - PNR and airline agnostic.

Some time ago there was limited ticket availability on a QF ticketed SYD-SIN-KUL. I knew there was a MH flight that was often sold on the one ticket but not on the day I wanted. However I could get a SYD-SIN // SIN-KUL in 2 separate PNR (QF then that particular MH flight on a very cheap basic fare with just a transit in SIN. I just had hand luggage so didn’t get to experience the luggage transfer. QF only gave me boarding passes to SIN but somehow Changi knew I had a connection and had an agent waiting for me at the gate.

I get that airlines get you from point A to B then another gets you from B to C, but what happens while transiting B is also very important.

Much of the current OneWorld refusal to inter line across PNR while very understandable adds to the workload of baggage handlers, security etc.

My own Personal MCT is 2 hours for a DOM-DOM and 3 hrs for INT-DOM vv if I have checked luggage The Changi service does not absolve the traveller from only booking tickets with ample time for connections.
 
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Possibly, but not having to be tied to one PNR adds much flexibility to a BFOD strategy. That’s what BFOD is all about - PNR and airline agnostic.

How does being broken up across multiple PNRs help your BFOD strategy become more flexible? All that does is make your travel more of a pain in the rear.

What you can achieve across multiple airlines and multiple PNRs in many cases can be achieved in a single PNR, without making your travel a pain in the rear.
 
I know that sometimes a TA can add to an existing PNR. I get that too

TAs can add/remove on an existing PNR at any time. Piecemeal construction of travel plans is perfectly normal.

A typical case is to book the long haul when on sale, then hold out for a domestic sale then add those into the same PNR.
 
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