Recent "flow-forwarding" experiences

bussyboy

bussyboy

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I've a Business reward flight SYD-MEL-PER later this week in with just 40 minutes in MEL - which should be okay unless something goes wrong. Given I'll be in SYD airport a couple of hours beforehand, is it worth asking at the lounge to move me to an earlier flight, even in economy, primarily to save possibility of my bags getting lost/delayed?

How are others experience in these requests - I understand it may be a benefit for some status holders
 
bussyboy said:
I've a Business reward flight SYD-MEL-PER later this week in with just 40 minutes in MEL - which should be okay unless something goes wrong. Given I'll be in SYD airport a couple of hours beforehand, is it worth asking at the lounge to move me to an earlier flight, even in economy, primarily to save possibility of my bags getting lost/delayed?

How are others experience in these requests - I understand it may be a benefit for some status holders
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Whenever I been in the lounge and they’ve invited pax to come forward to counter anticipated delays, the request has always been for passengers without checked baggage. I think the time to request a flow-forward is at the checkin counter, so your bags can go with you.
 
I know they would usually do this for you if on an international connection, but I'm unsure about a domestic one. In theory if you're getting to PER at the same time then there should be no problem.
 
bussyboy said:
... primarily to save possibility of my bags getting lost/delayed?
Click to expand...
They should be amenable to your request, but you'll need to ask BEFORE you check your bags in (ie. if you wait until you get to the lounge, it's too late).

Once your bags are checked in, you're on the flight that your bags are on!
 
Last week MEL>SYD on flexibale fare with carry on bags on. They couldn't move me onto ANY earlier flight, not even into Business using points , flights were at capacity. And apparently QF don't do waitlists (which I find hard to believe)
 
For Seatbackforward, with very few 330s on that route these days, and probably with a lot of staff still not yet flying, they would probably have a reason not putting you onto any other flight/s.
They (QF) did let a lot of staff members go ie exit QF in the past 2 years.
For Bussyboy, you would probably make it if you forgo the MEL T1 QFd J lounge this time round.
If you are lucky to get the 330, it would probably be at gate 21/23 on QF councourse A, the flight from SYD - MEL if you are lucky, will arr at concourse A at gate 22/24 as well, if so, 40 mins is a definitely can do, even if the SYD - MEL flight arrives into councourse B, the walk is not that long.
Gate 3 seems to be under construction, that was that open plan food concession area, in concourse B.
If your SYD - MEL flight comes into concourse B, and you get a wide body at the end of concourse B, gate 11/12 even better.
Take a look at flight aware to see which gate has been used for your flight over the past few days.
If its JQ, ie, if they palm you off to JQd at T4, with a run, it can still be done.
 
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Keep an eye on the QF app on the day of departure. Sometimes they will turn flow forwarding on for your flight and you can select an earlier flight before you arrive at the airport through the app. My last couple of QF flights (during Friday PM peak and when there had been earlier storms at SYD) have had the option.
 
AIRwin said:
What if it's on a direct SYD-PER flight?
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If it's an A330 and still in J - great!

I'm only indirect because that was the only rewards option; I actually tried to book separately the two legs to give myself a day in MEL, but when I tried to book MEL-PER, the app gave me indirect options via BNE or SYD 🤨
 
QF773, yesterday (by the time you read this) dep from Pier A gate 23.
14.35 dep.
QF427, SYD - MEL, arr Pier A gate 23.
This was an earlier one.
But QF437 and QF441 all arr at Pier B gate 6/10.
QF437 and QF441 were later past 12.
www(dot)melbourneairport.com.au dep and arr info board does give a rough idea of where QF planes will arr and dep, of course, this can change at any time during your flight.
Edit: some days though, there is a swap/equip swap from a 330 to a 737H on the MEL - PER route.
 
bussyboy said:
If it's an A330 and still in J - great!

I'm only indirect because that was the only rewards option; I actually tried to book separately the two legs to give myself a day in MEL, but when I tried to book MEL-PER, the app gave me indirect options via BNE or SYD 🤨
Click to expand...
I arrived in MEL. J lounge today with a 4.5 hour wait for my J award flight. The attendant suggested an earlier flight (before I could say “no, thank you“) but could not change because ticket was not Flex. (There were no congestion problems, so flow-forward didn’t apply.)
 
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dylarr said:
Keep an eye on the QF app on the day of departure. Sometimes they will turn flow forwarding on for your flight and you can select an earlier flight before you arrive at the airport through the app. My last couple of QF flights (during Friday PM peak and when there had been earlier storms at SYD) have had the option.
Click to expand...
I have noticed this a fair bit quite recently as well out of BNE, SYD and ADL.
 
dylarr said:
Keep an eye on the QF app on the day of departure. Sometimes they will turn flow forwarding on for your flight and you can select an earlier flight before you arrive at the airport through the app.
Click to expand...

QF “Fly Earlier” option in app during wx delays

Sorry if this is not new but I’ve never seen it before. I’m flying BNE-NTL tonight and noticed this message in the QF app; As it happens there is only one QF flight to NTL today (it didn’t show JQ options) so no change was actually available. And even if there were I’m on a flex fare...
www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au
 
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I have had the forward flow option come up on the app, but on both occasions (CBR-MEL, BNE-MEL) when pressing it, it has come back with no options available.
 
CorporateFlyerMEL said:
I have had the forward flow option come up on the app, but on both occasions (CBR-MEL, BNE-MEL) when pressing it, it has come back with no options available.
Click to expand...

Same here, most recently between SYD and BNE when no weather pro lems at all. But was in J and no spare seats.
 

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