Sydney International Transfer & Missed Connection Insurance

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Buck

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Oct 8, 2010
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I've just booked a flight through Qantas website Brisbane to Queenstown via Sydney for next year.

The connection time between the two flights is only 60 minutes. I've been in contact with Qantas and they have confirmed that this is a legal connection time - but I have read on other posts on this forum that this is likely to be cutting this fine. Everything would have to go right in order to make the next flight.

As it stands I am on the first flight out of Brisbane, and due to other commitments cannot fly down the night before.

If I miss the connecting flight there is no way to get to Queenstown that day via Qantas. Best they could probably do would be get me to another NZ city and then a domestic connection the next day.

If worse comes to worse and I just miss the connection there is a Virgin Blue flight that leaves an hour later - and assuming it had spare capacity it would provide the only alternative I can find to get to Queenstown on the same day.

I've done some insurance investigation and QANTAS/QBE do offer a missed connection insurance but only for 'special events'.

The Questions I have are:
1) If the miss connection due to weather (eg fog) or other flight related reason what will be Qantas's obligation to me in terms of on-travel/accommodation? I can't find any missed connection policies on their website.

2) Assuming the worse - If I go with the QBE insurance - what would I need to do in order to trigger their missed connection cover and try at the last minute to snaffle some seats on that later Virgin Blue flight?

3) Assume that we were attending a wedding: what evidence would I need to provide for QBE to be satisfied that we were attending a 'special event'?
 
Are the two flights on the same PNR. If so that is qf problem not yours I believe

Yes - Same PNR. My question is really focused on what will Qantas do for me if I can't make the connection. Would they likely opt to get me to another NZ city later that day, or lay me over for 24 hours in Sydney. From all the research I have done, no other Qantas flight can get me to Queenstown that day (I even looked at flights out of Melbourne).
 
I went through the same thought process due to a PER-SYD-CHC flight with a 70min connect. One flight a day, and there's only one connection from PER that doesn't involve an overnight.

In the end I was armed with info on other flights on all carriers but didn't need it. I'm not sure if QF would have transfered us, but at least I knew I had options to discuss.

We were 30mins late into SYD and they held the flight for 45mins to let people connect. ~40 of the people on the SYD-CHC 738 flight were from our PER-SYD service so I guess its in their interest.

Pack some carryon underwear incase your bags aren't as lucky ;)
 
More than likely they will hold the plane, if there are limited or no other flights from BNE then you more than likely will have some fellow pax on your flight which will add to the need to hold the aircraft.
 
Welcome to AFF!

If worse comes to worse and I just miss the connection there is a Virgin Blue flight that leaves an hour later - and assuming it had spare capacity it would provide the only alternative I can find to get to Queenstown on the same day.

The Questions I have are:
1) If the miss connection due to weather (eg fog) or other flight related reason what will be Qantas's obligation to me in terms of on-travel/accommodation? I can't find any missed connection policies on their website.

2) Assuming the worse - If I go with the QBE insurance - what would I need to do in order to trigger their missed connection cover and try at the last minute to snaffle some seats on that later Virgin Blue flight?

3) Assume that we were attending a wedding: what evidence would I need to provide for QBE to be satisfied that we were attending a 'special event'?

I’ve been in similar situations as I travel to Queenstown annually.

In the past, we’ve taken the very last flight out of Brisbane and then spent time in the F lounge (or J) in the morning to Queenstown. We’ve never tried the connection, just in case.

Per your questions:

  1. They’ll likely get you to your destination somehow, or put you up in a hotel till they can, but things are as murky as they seem. Travel insurance is your best bet in this case.
  2. Dunno.
  3. Dunno.

Yes - Same PNR. My question is really focused on what will Qantas do for me if I can't make the connection. Would they likely opt to get me to another NZ city later that day, or lay me over for 24 hours in Sydney. From all the research I have done, no other Qantas flight can get me to Queenstown that day (I even looked at flights out of Melbourne).

From what I have seen this season, they have flights on Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday. Next season the schedule may improve, but I’m not sure at this stage.

Virgin Blue (Pacific Blue) may not be flying next year, they’ve already pulled out of the NZ domestic market and now have issues forming an alliance with Air NZ, so may not stick around on the route.

Though I did fly them this year. I took the earliest flight from BNE to SYD and then caught the SYD to ZQN on Pacific Blue. The lines without status on Virgin Blue were HUGE. However I did make it to Queenstown on time. Risky though, separate PNR’s.
 
More than likely they will hold the plane, if there are limited or no other flights from BNE then you more than likely will have some fellow pax on your flight which will add to the need to hold the aircraft.


Makes sense.

Queenstown is one of those places where the best insurance is probably to use the local carrier (Air NZ) for when things go wrong ie fog snow etc. Even summer flights can be affected by the weather.

YouTube - Queenstown Airport in the Snow Aug 08
 
Insurance is not really relevant in this case. QF is responsible for getting you to Queenstown. However, they are not responsible for getting you there on time or even on the same day.

So if you MUST be there on a particular day, regardless of insurance coverage, you should allow plenty of time for connections as unexpected can and do happen. If it was really important for me to be someone on a particular day, I would be travelling the day before just to minimise the possibility of missing the event.

If you miss the connection in Sydney, Qantas will re-accommodate you on alternate flights to get you to Queenstown. That may be the same flight the following day (and QF will provide accommodation etc in Sydney) or it may be on another flight to NZ, overnight in say AKL or CHC and another flight the following morning to Queenstown. I would be surprised if they move you to a DJ flight an hour later.

Travel insurance for missed connections usually only covers you for out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of missing the connection. Things like accommodation and transfers, and maybe any costs for accommodation at your destination that cannot be cancelled in time to avoid penalties. In the case of a single connecting ticket, Qantas will cover those costs (at least the transit accommodation/transfer costs).
 
It might be too late to change your ticket, but rather than worry about missing the SYD-NZ leg, might it not be easier to get an early flight from BNE - SYD?
 
More than likely they will hold the plane, if there are limited or no other flights from BNE then you more than likely will have some fellow pax on your flight which will add to the need to hold the aircraft.

Yes always safety in numbers!

The classic is 107 / 108 connecting or feeding the aus routes.
 
It might be too late to change your ticket, but rather than worry about missing the SYD-NZ leg, might it not be easier to get an early flight from BNE - SYD?

Not possible for a number of reasons, the main one being the need to leave SYD or any Australian east coast city in the early AM in order to get to ZQN with enough time to make the approach (s) before sunset, each approach/missed approach takes up to an hour so you can get the picture, thats why they leave at 8.30AM, meaning the first flight ex BNE is the only connection possible. ZQN is a daylight only approach.
 
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Thnxs Markis. What is the Minimum level of light required (is this the criteria?) in order to take off and return safely within, I guess a certain parameter?
 
Thnxs Markis. What is the Minimum level of light required (is this the criteria?) in order to take off and return safely within, I guess a certain parameter?

Daylight hours (which is the term in use here) is classed as the beginning of civil twilight to the end of civil twilight, civil twilight being defined as:

Morning civil twilight starts when the geometric center of the sun is 6° below the horizon and ends at sunrise.

Evening civil twilight begins at sunset and ends when the geometric center of the sun reaches 6° below the horizon.

As you can see its a little bit more to that than just sunrise to sunset.
 
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Thnxs Markis. What is the Minimum level of light required (is this the criteria?) in order to take off and return safely within, I guess a certain parameter?

Flights can’t take off within half an hour of dusk I think it is. Maybe an hour, it’s a certain point before dusk though.
 
3) Assume that we were attending a wedding: what evidence would I need to provide for QBE to be satisfied that we were attending a 'special event'?[/QUOTE]

I've just got an email from QBE - they advised that 2 sets of facts would need to be demonstrated.

The first condition is that the delay cannot be caused by a 'General Exclusion' - meaning (in their terms) a mechanical break down' or a 'failure of the carrier to operate the service'. I assume this means that a weather event, extended flight time or general time wasting event - like a delayed departure - is all covered.

The Evidence for this first item is something in writing from the carrier confirming the reason for the delay/cancellation. If the carrier was not to blame then something in writing from the relevant authority would be needed. I'm hypothesising this could be a clog at the customs desk, security back log, or some airport related issue (fire alarm?)

The second condition relates to the 'Special Event'. Even though the PDS states that weddings, sporting events, conferences and milestone anniversaries are covered - the email suggests that you would need to proove that the event 'could not go on without you'. This implies that an invitiation to participate may not be enough?

If I am going to a wedding as a guest maybe there is no coverage? Perhaps you would have to be in the bridal party? Even then it would be arguable as to whether the event 'could still go on'.

The Evidence needed again is something written from a member of the wedding signifying that the event need you there.

As is the case with most insurance things - the email response did little to clarrify the situation, and just raised further questions. I've decided to stick with QBE - and put my faith in Qantas to get me there.
 
I'd love to ask everyone's feedback for something in the same vein: I have SYD-LHR-AMS booked on JAL for SYD-LHR & BA LHR-AMS, all booked through the same agent. I can clearly see 2 RLOCs (and 2 eticket numbers) but I can also see the entire itinerary when I log into either JL's or BA's "manage my booking" and "check my reservation" areas (and QF's too for that matter thanks to my Platinum FQTV number!) Is there an ultimate resposibility on the airline's part to get me to AMS in case of missed connection?
 
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