Recent Experiences with Qantas' terminal transfer at SYD

[*A Flyer]

Does anyone have experience with the newly implemented “Seamless Light” transfer service? Information is light on.

It appears that DOM-INT operates as before but with more limited frequency.

For INT-DOM a “Seamless Light” service will operate but a number of things are unclear.

• Are bags dropped at T1 or do you have to re-check at T3?
• Is it now restricted just to certain arriving flights?
• What is the check in deadline? (Previously 1 hour before domestic departure)
• Is the airside transfer ever coming back?

 

[justinbrett]

Does anyone have experience with the newly implemented “Seamless Light” transfer service? Information is light on.

It appears that DOM-INT operates as before but with more limited frequency.

For INT-DOM a “Seamless Light” service will operate but a number of things are unclear.

• Are bags dropped at T1 or do you have to re-check at T3?
• Is it now restricted just to certain arriving flights?
• What is the check in deadline? (Previously 1 hour before domestic departure)
• Is the airside transfer ever coming back?

I would class having to carry my bags on the bus a big fat seam, and would rather pay for the train if that was the case.

Surely not though. Otherwise why not just get the T bus. Strangely it says the T bus takes 10 minutes and the QF bus I-D takes 20 minutes.

 

[levelnine]

I don't quite get why QF runs DOM-INT but not INT-DOM. Is it because they don't want the cost of running the DOM check-in desk at the INT terminal? It seems madness to abandon that critical piece of infrastructure at QF's busiest port. Moves QF into LCC territory.

 

[serfty]

I have found the T Bus tends to depart T3 and T1 on the hour and the ½ hour pretty regularly.

 

[astrosly]

I walked past gate 15 at T3 just over two weeks ago and transfers were running with a sign stating the running times. I only glanced at it and if I recall correctly, it was something like every 30mins in the morning till about midday, then a pause to about 2pm and running for another hour or so. Definitely wasn't running all day.

 

[dajop]

Good to see that the QF tradition of using terms to mean the opposite of what they really mean is alive and well, so seamless can join the hall of fame, along with enhancement and simpler and fairer.

 

[whughes3]

Have just done the Int-dom transfer and was not greatly impressed; the worst bit was arriving at domestic at morning peak time and having to suffer the huge baggage screening lines.

 

[*A Flyer]

Have just done the Int-dom transfer and was not greatly impressed; the worst bit was arriving at domestic at morning peak time and having to suffer the huge baggage screening lines.

Was checked baggage dropped at International or did it have to be re-checked at Domestic?

 

[Seat0B]

Sorry to be slow but I’m not quite understanding what’s happening here. In the old days, your bags would be labelled through to final destination but collected in Sydney, walked on a trolley for a few hundred metres then dropped at a bag drop, often staffed, and then you were transferred airside by bus to domestic.

do you now collect your bags, catch a (bus?) with your bags no then que for bag drop/domestic check in at the domestic terminal as if you were just checking in for the first time? That certainly doesn’t sound better at all (which I guess is OP’s point) - so much luggage handling by pax, no even worse if you bought up a the duty free!

or do you now have to take the train? Even worse!

 

[whughes3]

Was checked baggage dropped at International or did it have to be re-checked at Domestic?

You re-check your bags at the Int terminal facility (thankfully!) but must then queue up for the landside bus.

 

[justinbrett]

You re-check your bags at the Int terminal facility (thankfully!) but must then queue up for the landside bus.

That’s not that bad then.

 

[Lynda2475]

Otherwise why not just get the T bus. Strangely it says the T bus takes 10 minutes and the QF bus I-D takes 20 minutes.

The train would take even less time - 1 stop.

 

[justinbrett]

The train would take even less time - 1 stop.

Yep, the few times I've had to change terminals with bags (eg flying NTL-SYD and then on to a QFi flight) I've just got the train. Heaps easier with bags and more frequent than the bus.

But obviously you've got to pay, which I'm happy to, but those who don't can take the bus.

 

[pippen_2k]

Flying Canberra to Sydney in a couple weeks. Arrive at Sydney at 7am and then need to transfer to International. There is 10 of us. Should we be catching the seamless transfer or T-Bus ?

 

[pauly7]

That’s not that bad then.

I agree, failing to see the big drama here…

 

[justinbrett]

Flying Canberra to Sydney in a couple weeks. Arrive at Sydney at 7am and then need to transfer to International. There is 10 of us. Should we be catching the seamless transfer or T-Bus ?

Assuming you are flying QF, take the bus from gate 15. It will drop you off at a special door at T1, and the top of that escalator drops you off right outside the security check point. It's a lot quicker than the T bus.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I don't quite get why QF runs DOM-INT but not INT-DOM. Is it because they don't want the cost of running the DOM check-in desk at the INT terminal? It seems madness to abandon that critical piece of infrastructure at QF's busiest port. Moves QF into LCC territory.

I think your second statement has nailed it, ...

 

[TomVexille]

I don't quite get why QF runs DOM-INT but not INT-DOM. Is it because they don't want the cost of running the DOM check-in desk at the INT terminal? It seems madness to abandon that critical piece of infrastructure at QF's busiest port. Moves QF into LCC territory.

I thought I heard that QF had given up the lease on the space at T1 so they can't do this anymore.

 

[whughes3]

Flying Canberra to Sydney in a couple weeks. Arrive at Sydney at 7am and then need to transfer to International. There is 10 of us. Should we be catching the seamless transfer or T-Bus ?

Just note that the airdide bus takes only 35 pax at a time; if you don't make the cut you wait 30 mins for the nexr bus or make your own way.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

And they wait till the bus gets full to capacity before going from SYD T3 to T1.