Questions about SIN to OOL via MEL

[Zetta]

Unsure if this is the correct place to ask, so redirect thread as requested Mods.

I will be travelling from SIN to OOL via MEL (QF36/QF876) on Qantas in April 2022. If you been through this route or similar, I would appreciate some advise, my questions are:

1. Will I need to clear customs with baggage and check in again at Mel?

2. When I arrive at Mel, am I allowed to use the International Amex lounge if it's open (got 2 comp invites, also unsure if usable when they reopen as centurion)?

3. Are there best standard seats for the A330 and B737?

4. Any advise as we are travelling as a family.

Thanks.

 

[justinbrett]

At every Australian airport, unless the connection is an international leg (ie, you can clear customs at your second port), you have to clear customs and immigration when you first enter to be able to connect to the domestic leg - pretty much the same as the US. As your second QF flight number is 400+ that means it's not international and therefore you need to to clear customs in MEL.

So 1 - yes. Your bags may be tagged to OOL but you'll need to clear them and then hand back to Qantas. It's not a full re-check in, but you'll line up at the transfer desk and they'll take your bag back and check your boarding pass. It's pretty quick.

2 - I'm fairly certain not. If you're not connecting you need to clear immigration, and then you can't enter departures.

3. Recommend seat guru.

 

[Hvr]

You will clear immigration and customs in MEL and then transfer to a domestic flight.
No access to any lounge at MEL international,

 

[Zetta]

At every Australian airport, unless the connection is an international leg (ie, you can clear customs at your second port), you have to clear customs and immigration when you first enter to be able to connect to the domestic leg - pretty much the same as the US. As your second QF flight number is 400+ that means it's not international and therefore you need to to clear customs in MEL.

So 1 - yes. Your bags may be tagged to OOL but you'll need to clear them and then hand back to Qantas. It's not a full re-check in, but you'll line up at the transfer desk and they'll take your bag back and check your boarding pass. It's pretty quick.

2 - I'm fairly certain not. If you're not connecting you need to clear immigration, and then you can't enter departures.

3. Recommend seat guru.

Thanks for the detail explanation.

 

[Zetta]

You will clear immigration and customs in MEL and then transfer to a domestic flight.
No access to any lounge at MEL international,

Thanks. I will need to find out what time the transfer desk opens then. As I arrive at 5.30am and don't really want to lug my baggages + kids around for a 12.30pm flight.

 

[RichardMEL]

Melbourne is a very easy airport to transfer at.

On arrival yes you clear Immigration and Customs. IIRC there is a drop area for connecting domestic flights and if bags are tagged to OOL just drop them there. If not, you just exit out, turn left and go to QF Domestic Terminal (T1), which is a two minute walk, go upstairs and drop the bags at the bag drop there since they're tagged shouldn't be an issue.

If not tagged then check in there.

 

[Zetta]

Melbourne is a very easy airport to transfer at.

On arrival yes you clear Immigration and Customs. IIRC there is a drop area for connecting domestic flights and if bags are tagged to OOL just drop them there. If not, you just exit out, turn left and go to QF Domestic Terminal (T1), which is a two minute walk, go upstairs and drop the bags at the bag drop there since they're tagged shouldn't be an issue.

If not tagged then check in there.

Thanks. I bought it as a single booking ticket and it came with a stop. I am hoping they tag OOL as I am unsure if the check in counters will open at 5.30 or allow me to check baggage that early. I am guessing the transfer bag drops are automated and will allow me to drop anytime if tagged OOL. Well, if anything, it is what it is and I will deal with it as it comes. Will review my experience when the time comes.

 

[RichardMEL]

yes all will be open when the QF36 arrives. Remember domestic flights start around 0600. Do not worry about any of that aspect.

 

[Zetta]

yes all will be open when the QF36 arrives. Remember domestic flights start around 0600. Do not worry about any of that aspect.

Thanks. I am ok, more towards my kids after 8 hours of flight. I plan to use my complimentary invites for my family to rest in Qantas club domestic Melbourne.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Re complimentary invites to MEL QP you would need to link them to the booking before entry to the door area to the lounge.
Few years back, it took me a while to open to do it as I had to log into my QFF account to link my one pass as a QFF PS for single entry.
Aust airports arr and dep for international flights are upstairs and downstairs, not like SIN where its all on one level.
They keep departing and arrival for international flights separate.

 

[Zetta]

Re complimentary invites to MEL QP you would need to link them to the booking before entry to the door area to the lounge.
Few years back, it took me a while to open to do it as I had to log into my QFF account to link my one pass as a QFF PS for single entry.
Aust airports arr and dep for international flights are upstairs and downstairs, not like SIN where its all on one level.
They keep departing and arrival for international flights separate.

Yes. I have linked them, thanks for the warning. I believe SIN Changi Airport is also Departure on upstairs and Arrival below. Unless that has changed.. Btw, Qantas club Mel is in T1 (domestic)? Just wanted to make sure I don't need an international flight to access.

 

[BD1959]

Yes. I have linked them, thanks for the warning. I believe SIN Changi Airport is also Departure on upstairs and Arrival below. Unless that has changed.. Btw, Qantas club Mel is in T1 (domestic)? Just wanted to make sure I don't need an international flight to access.

Chiangi is mixed mode: arriving and departing passengers inter-mingle within the terminal area, that has always been the case and has not changed (other than earlier this year when the Transit Zones were introduced). Entry to the Qantas Club in T1 (yes, domestic only) would be subject to your complimentary invites and must be linked to your MEL-OOL flights at least 24hrs prior to travel of the eligible sector.

Regards,

BD

 

[AIRwin]

Chiangi is mixed mode: arriving and departing passengers inter-mingle within the terminal area, that has always been the case and has not changed (other than earlier this year when the Transit Zones were introduced).

Except T4 when in operation?

 

[BD1959]

Except T4 when in operation?

Possibly. Have only ever transited out of T4 the once after LHR-HEL-HKG-SIN so was not my usual observant self other than noting I was the only transit passenger on the inter-terminal bus (again unusual for SIN that they use a bus).

Not relevant to the OP who is flying QF36.

Regards,

BD

 

[Zetta]

Chiangi is mixed mode: arriving and departing passengers inter-mingle within the terminal area, that has always been the case and has not changed (other than earlier this year when the Transit Zones were introduced). Entry to the Qantas Club in T1 (yes, domestic only) would be subject to your complimentary invites and must be linked to your MEL-OOL flights at least 24hrs prior to travel of the eligible sector.

Regards,

BD

I understand what you mean now. Yes, after a flight to Changi, if I do not have baggage, hence do not need to clear customs to get my baggage, I tend to stay within the transit for abit. Visiting the movie room, butterfly garden, whisky bar. The transit is connected by skytrain for T1-3.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Internationally speaking, QFi does have a J lounge in MEL T2, downstairs, and their F lounge upstairs, but that you don't/won't have to think about till your next (outgoing/departing) international trip.
So, there only 2 QF lounges in MEL's T1 Qantas zone, after domestic security screening, at Tullamarine Airport, one is the QP, or Qantas Club, the size of it has been halved in the past 2 years, it used to be a nice wide big area, and the QF MEL J lounge which used to the smaller one, now its the opposite, and the other.
The QP is now smaller, and no outside view, and the J lounge has taken over the space that the QP used to occupy there.
Long ago, you used to go up the escalators, and meet the QP/Qantas Club, where they scan your boarding pass/Qantas Club card, and then, you could then also go into the separate J lounge, inner sanctum so to speak.
Then someone got a very good idea, so do a swap, making the J lounge bigger, and making the QP in T1 smaller.
You will see what I mean anyway, the QP experience has been downgraded there in MEL T1.

 

[Zetta]

Internationally speaking, QFi does have a J lounge in MEL T2, downstairs, and their F lounge upstairs, but that you don't/won't have to think about till your next (outgoing/departing) international trip.
So, there only 2 QF lounges in MEL's T1 Qantas zone, after domestic security screening, at Tullamarine Airport, one is the QP, or Qantas Club, the size of it has been halved in the past 2 years, it used to be a nice wide big area, and the QF MEL J lounge which used to the smaller one, now its the opposite, and the other.
The QP is now smaller, and no outside view, and the J lounge has taken over the space that the QP used to occupy there.
Long ago, you used to go up the escalators, and meet the QP/Qantas Club, where they scan your boarding pass/Qantas Club card, and then, you could then also go into the separate J lounge, inner sanctum so to speak.
Then someone got a very good idea, so do a swap, making the J lounge bigger, and making the QP in T1 smaller.
You will see what I mean anyway, the QP experience has been downgraded there in MEL T1.

Thanks for the insight. My flight from SIN lands at 5.30am and if clearing customs + transfers is going to be say 7am. So it is disappointing be in a smaller lounge, but a lounge to rest in for the next 5 hours nevertheless. The only shame is my onwards flight is 12.20pm, meaning no bar access for me as it opens only at midday.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for the insight. My flight from SIN lands at 5.30am and if clearing customs + transfers is going to be say 7am. So it is disappointing be in a smaller lounge, but a lounge to rest in for the next 5 hours nevertheless. The only shame is my onwards flight is 12.20pm, meaning no bar access for me as it opens only at midday.

If your bookings are all one the one ticket it is possible the transfer desk in Melbourne might move you forward to an earlier flight. This would be dependent on seat availability, of course, but it's not uncommon. If the 1230 is actually the first flight of the day to OOL it might be a little harder to move you. When you drop off your bags just ask if there is an earlier flight to get you home.

 

[RichardMEL]

That is a VERY long connection imo. There is usually an earlier OOL flight (QF880) from MEL that you may be able to move to (unless for some reason it is not operating on the day of your flights, or is already full in J - which is very possible possibly).

I would agree the domestic Qantas Club is not the best place to "relax" for hours and hours. Specially in the peak morning hours between say 7 and 9 given a lot of people wanting coffee, breakfast etc. Noting if your QF OOL flight is in J then of course you can use the Business Lounge (and actually if your incoming international QF36 is in J you should have access too) and the J side is indeed a bit bigger but still I would not want to spend hours and hours there tbh.

It's probably not worth a day room somewhere close as it's just not quite long enough in my view to be worth it unfortunately. After such a long overnight flight from SIN the last thing I'd want to be doing is trying to kill another 6ish hours in domestic. ugh.

Is there any way you could, for example, look to moving to SIN-SYD-OOL or something else or to see about changing to the earlier OOL flight? I know you have kids and that complicates things, but this is really not an ideal layover imo.

Actually thinking of the kids, who may get little sleep on the QF36 perhaps it WOULD be worth a day room at the nearby parkroyal or somewhere - expensive yes, but to get say 4 or 5 hours of sleep could be invaluable for EVERYONE. I would urge you to explore this as an option imo.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Don't accept a JQ flight, even if offered.
Its a pain in the **** to go out and walk from T1 to T4, not so bad if travelling alone with HLO, but with bags and kids, ... ouchy.
Its a fair walk.
Unilkely they will try to swap you, but at least you know what to look out for.
Esp if you get a QFxx_x flight number, or see one on a BP/or you see gate range of the 40s at MEL, thats T4.