Sydney Transfer - Dom -> Int

[roryg]

Later this year, I'm going to London on a Tuesday. Going from Melbourne to Sydney with Qantas (QC member). Then I'm on a different ticket through to London: Cathay from Sydney to Hong Kong and Virgin Atlantic from Hong Kong to London. The return trip is the reverse.

As VS have such an insane baggage allowance - 3 bags, according to my reading of their rules - my partner has "advised" me that she will be loading me up with 3 or 4 or more quilts for the nephews and nieces, and I anticipate being similarly 2-bag loaded on the return journey. I will pay for excess baggage on the domestic sectors, and I am yet to check if Cathay will honour the VS baggage allowance.

To my question. I am fairly sure that I will have to collect my baggage at Sydney, go out of the domestic terminal, catch the train to international, and check-in/drop my baggage with Cathay there. The Cathay flight is scheduled for 14:00. Given those two factors, at what time would experienced or knowledgeable folks suggest that I aim to have my flight from MEL arrive at SYD? I like airports and lounges, so hanging around isn't a problem for me: on the other hand, I am not a "morning person" and we live about an hour from Tullamarine.

[Side note: Why such a silly itinerary? The point burn, with the AmEx 25% boost, was good (to my eyes); and the chance to fly with VS - I was originally booked to go SYD-LHR with them, but...]

Thanks

 

[TheDan]

I am not sure if the VS baggage allowance will be transfer to the CX, but if it does - wouldnt this apply to the domestic flight as well, even if VS and QF are not partner airlines, as long as they are booked under the same PNR?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Were the CX & VS flights booked in the same pnr or do you have 3 separate pnrs?

QF in MEL can through check your bags to CX to HKG but the CX baggage allowance would apply.

 

[roryg]

I am not sure if the VS baggage allowance will be transfer to the CX, but if it does - wouldnt this apply to the domestic flight as well, even if VS and QF are not partner airlines, as long as they are booked under the same PNR?

One PNR for MEL-SYD, another PNR for SYD-LHR. I have asked QF about getting bags checked through, and they don't do it as it's a VS ticket.

Were the CX & VS flights booked in the same pnr or do you have 3 separate pnrs?

QF in MEL can through check your bags to CX to HKG but the CX baggage allowance would apply.

CX and VS are on the same VS ticket with a single PNR. QF will be a completely different (as yet unbooked) ticket.

 

[serfty]

Ok, so VS is the "most significant carrier" SYD-LHR, so their three bag rule should indeed apply.

 

[roryg]

Ok, so VS is the "most significant carrier", SYD-LHR so their three bag rule should indeed apply.

While you were posting, I was talking to a lovely lady at CX, who confirmed that. As I said originally, I'll live with paying the excess on the domestic sectors.

On the way back, I'll be able to drop my bags with QF at the international terminal, so I won't have to lug them over to domestic. It's only the outward flight when it looks like I'll have to do some lugging.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

One PNR for MEL-SYD, another PNR for SYD-LHR. I have asked QF about getting bags checked through, and they don't do it as it's a VS ticket.

CX and VS are on the same VS ticket with a single PNR. QF will be a completely different (as yet unbooked) ticket.

If the VS flight is booked in the same pnr as CX what could happen is when you ask QF MEL to add the CX flight SYD/HKG it may automatically add the VS flight immediately after HKG/LHR so you'd end up with the same end result as if all three flights were booked in the same pnr ie bags would be through checked MEL/SYD/HKG/LHR & the VS baggage allowance applied as they are the MSC.

A similar thing happened to a friend who had one pnr BNE/MEL on QF then a separate pnr containing both MEL/PER QF & PER/JNB on SA. Once the MEL/PER QF flight was added it automatically added the PER/JNB also so bags were through checked BNE/MEL/PER/JNB.

 

[roryg]

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions. I'll hope to get the baggage checked all the way through from MEL, but expect to have to lug it from domestic to international at Sydney.

I've booked a domestic flight that gets into SYD at 09:55, giving me 4 hours. I expect to be in the international lounge by 13:00, but hope to be there by 11:00.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

CX and VS are on the same VS ticket with a single PNR. QF will be a completely different (as yet unbooked) ticket.

Just as a matter of interest, what does the baggage allowance say next to the CX flight on the VS ticket - 20K or 3PC?

Regardless of what it is, VS are stiill the MSC.

 

[Must...Fly!]

If the VS flight is booked in the same pnr as CX what could happen is when you ask QF MEL to add the CX flight SYD/HKG it may automatically add the VS flight immediately after HKG/LHR so you'd end up with the same end result as if all three flights were booked in the same pnr ie bags would be through checked MEL/SYD/HKG/LHR & the VS baggage allowance applied as they are the MSC.

A similar thing happened to a friend who had one pnr BNE/MEL on QF then a separate pnr containing both MEL/PER QF & PER/JNB on SA. Once the MEL/PER QF flight was added it automatically added the PER/JNB also so bags were through checked BNE/MEL/PER/JNB.

That would have only happened because QF and SA presumably have an IATCI agreement?

I can definitely see you getting bags tagged to HKG, but on from there I doubt it.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

That would have only happened because QF and SA presumably have an IATCI agreement?

I can definitely see you getting bags tagged to HKG, but on from there I doubt it.

QF & SA do have an IATCI agreement for boarding passes however such an agreement has no bearing on whether bags can be through checked to a destination as there just has to be a baggage interline agreement in place between those airlines.

In the OP's case he's got a contingency plan & allowed 4 hours in SYD should he need to collect bags there.

 

[roryg]

Just as a matter of interest, what does the baggage allowance say next to the CX flight on the VS ticket - 20K or 3PC?

Effectively nothing. SYD-HKG isn't mentioned at all. All it says is: "Please note that you may be charged to take additional ... baggage on sectors ... that are not operated by Virgin Atlantic."

I can definitely see you getting bags tagged to HKG, but on from there I doubt it.

I see that as a possibility. Not a possibility that is desirable, and which I would decline if offered. I much prefer to do some shopping and/or experiencing the VS lounge in HKG. I have only 110 minutes in HKG.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Effectively nothing. SYD-HKG isn't mentioned at all. All it says is: "Please note that you may be charged to take additional ... baggage on sectors ... that are not operated by Virgin Atlantic."

That sounds more like the spiel that appears on your itinerary. If you have an actual copy of your electronic ticket it will display info like e tkt nbr, flight, booking class, fare basis code, baggage allowance etc etc.

If you haven't already got a copy I'd ask the issuing airline to send you one because if any of the other airlines involved need proof that the VS allowance is 3 pcs you've got the evidence in black & white.

 

[Must...Fly!]

QF & SA do have an IATCI agreement for boarding passes however such an agreement has no bearing on whether bags can be through checked to a destination as there just has to be a baggage interline agreement in place between those airlines.

In the OP's case he's got a contingency plan & allowed 4 hours in SYD should he need to collect bags there.

Indeed, would the interline agreement in this case have to be between QF and VS, or CX and VS? I guess the former, in which case it's unlikely?

 

[roryg]

That sounds more like the spiel that appears on your itinerary. If you have an actual copy of your electronic ticket it will display info like e tkt nbr, flight, booking class, fare basis code, baggage allowance etc etc.

Yes, it's the itinerary. It's also the receipt and the e-ticket.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Indeed, would the interline agreement in this case have to be between QF and VS, or CX and VS? I guess the former, in which case it's unlikely?

There would need to be a baggage interline agreement between QF & VS even if there is a CX flight in between.

Whilst QF would only interline to VS if the flights were in the same pnr, the OP's scenario is slightly different as the VS flight is in the same pnr as the CX flight. QF can add the CX flight into the the pax booking on checkin so it's possible that because the VS flights is in the same pnr as the CX flight that it may add the VS flight at the same time.

If this does happen then you have the same scenario as if all the flights were booking in the same pnr in the beginning so bags could be checked to LHR with VS being the MSC so their baggage rules apply. Even if QF didn't have an IATCI agreement with VS it would just mean the OP would need to obtain the boarding pass for HKG/LHR in the VS lounge or transfer desk at HKG.