When to get to SYD airport for 11:10am departure?

[epsc]

Hi folks, after the long drought, I’m finally up and awaying again, QF81 Sydney-Singapore in J. Departing 11.10 am, no bags to check. I thought getting there by 0830 would be completely fine, and leave ample time for breakfast at the lounge. Any thoughts?

 

[SYD]

Hi folks, after the long drought, I’m finally up and awaying again, QF81 Sydney-Singapore in J. Departing 11.10 am, no bags to check. I thought getting there by 0830 would be completely fine, and leave ample time for breakfast at the lounge. Any thoughts?

In theory that ought to be adequate but it depends on the day. A J BP will give you priority immigration and security line access but even those were clogging up from time to time when I passed through on the 25th. Same flight, but Monday morning travelling in whY, HLO. I arrived around 7am and 1.5 hrs later was entering the FLounge.

You still need to front a human to do the SIN Covid paperwork check to get your BP (you can do OLCI but it will tell you to get your BP at airport).

In the end, I had a fair amount of lounge time and then the flight was delayed 1 hr - so had a fair amount of standing at gate time. If I hadn’t been HLO, I would have stayed in the lounge until the flight was called…

 

[epsc]

In theory that ought to be adequate but it depends on the day. A J BP will give you priority immigration and security line access but even those were clogging up from time to time when I passed through on the 25th. Same flight, but Monday morning travelling in whY, HLO. I arrived around 7am and 1.5 hrs later was entering the FLounge.

You still need to front a human to do the SIN Covid paperwork check to get your BP (you can do OLCI but it will tell you to get your BP at airport).

In the end, I had a fair amount of lounge time and then the flight was delayed 1 hr - so had a fair amount of standing at gate time. If I hadn’t been HLO, I would have stayed in the lounge until the flight was called…

Thanks SYD. I should have added, I’m just transiting through SIN en route to LHR on QF1, so on my understanding I won’t need the SIN paperwork.

 

[Quickstatus]

I thought getting there by 0830 would be completely fine

When these questions are asked, it’s because there is some doubt.

It should be enough time. But have you allowed for contingencies such as the Train Strike tomorrow?

 

[SYD]

Thanks SYD. I should have added, I’m just transiting through SIN en route to LHR on QF1, so on my understanding I won’t need the SIN paperwork.

Oh, in that case you ought to be able to checkin online and/or get BPs from a kiosk (they were readily available but still didn’t work for me going to SIN…).

 

[Hvr]

I thought getting there by 0830 would be completely fine, and leave ample time for breakfast at the lounge. Any thoughts?

Which lounge? If the F lounge get there early and enjoy the ambience, and champers.

 

[epsc]

Which lounge? If the F lounge get there early and enjoy the ambience, and champers.

Sadly, since retiring I’ve not been flying enough to retain Platinum, so as a lowly Lifetime Gold I can’t get into the Flounge. I miss it so.

 

[SYD]

Sadly, since retiring I’ve not been flying enough to retain Platinum, so as a lowly Lifetime Gold I can’t get into the Flounge. I miss it so.

Book mark this. Who knows - you may find a new BFF in the FLounge!

I'm in the QF Lounge thread

Syd dom J lounge still disposable plates and bowls - cups seem to be 50/50 plastic/glass. Red velvet very dry compared to carrot cake.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Nice also if they are going to SIN and can get you into the FLounge there!

 

[epsc]

Book mark this. Who knows - you may find a new BFF in the FLounge!

I'm in the QF Lounge thread

Syd dom J lounge still disposable plates and bowls - cups seem to be 50/50 plastic/glass. Red velvet very dry compared to carrot cake.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Nice also if they are going to SIN and can get you into the FLounge there!

I can’t imagine getting that lucky!

 

[QF029]

Sydney has been a zoo when I've been through twice in the last few months and both times took over an hour to get through. The first time there was no priority line and the second time they ran any pax running late which were in the hundreds.

 

[Spongbob]

From experience, the day of the flight (I once got to SYD a day before the flight).

 

[Ade]

International terminal at SYD is an absolute zoo ;

10/08 - QF81 - SYD-SIN - HLO Y - Dom to Intl transfer - arrived at the international terminal at 0810, was denied entry to the priority queue for the automated passport gates even though my BP says "FF Emerald Platinum QF". The QF staff on the floor provided me with a Express Path card, which let me in the priority queue for the automated gates. However, the Express path card did not get me an entry into the J/F security queue. Although strangely, when I flew out of SYD in Mar/Apr this year, I had an express path pass and was allowed to use the J/F security queue ? Anyways, the security queue took over 1 hour to clear. Entered the F lounge, greeted by Nestor around 0945. Enjoyed the view, brekkie etc. QF81 delayed to 1230.

All in all took me 1 hour and 35 mins from terminal entry to F lounge entry.

14/08 - QF82 - SIN-SYD - Y with checked in bags - Intl arrival at 0640 - at least a thousand people for the smart gate card machine - went to manual processing, took aboout 1 hour to clear immigration, 25 minute wait for the bags, 30 minute in the declare queue, another 20 mins in the interntional to dom transfer desk to check in the bag, then 20 mins on the transfer T bus (There were so many people in the transfer area, QF staff suggested that if your flight is after 9 am, pls use the transfer bus), then another 25 minutes in the seecurity queue at SYD dom, finally entered J lounge at 0920, for a 0945 boarding.

All in all took me over 2 hours and 20 mins approx to exit international and enter domestic J lounge.

 

[epsc]

That’s appalling. I’m flying tomorrow, for some reason I can’t check in online - maybe because I’m transiting in SIN and getting on another flight, so I need to check in in person to get both BP’s.

 

[SYD]

International terminal at SYD is an absolute zoo ;

10/08 - QF81 - SYD-SIN - HLO Y - Dom to Intl transfer - arrived at the international terminal at 0810, was denied entry to the priority queue for the automated passport gates even though my BP says "FF Emerald Platinum QF". The QF staff on the floor provided me with a Express Path card, which let me in the priority queue for the automated gates. However, the Express path card did not get me an entry into the J/F security queue. Although strangely, when I flew out of SYD in Mar/Apr this year, I had an express path pass and was allowed to use the J/F security queue ? Anyways, the security queue took over 1 hour to clear. Entered the F lounge, greeted by Nestor around 0945. Enjoyed the view, brekkie etc. QF81 delayed to 1230.

All in all took me 1 hour and 35 mins from terminal entry to F lounge entry.

That sounds similar to my experience on QF81 3 wks ago but at least I was starting in SYD and got there around 7am. No mention of “express pass” cards for immigration however. Not that it mattered for me. Departure was also delayed…

That’s appalling. I’m flying tomorrow, for some reason I can’t check in online - maybe because I’m transiting in SIN and getting on another flight, so I need to check in in person to get both BP’s.

Yes, if you’re not transiting on the one ticket they’ll expect to see paperwork to “enter“ Singapore. Hopefully that won’t be an issue.

It might be a good idea to do the SIN entry docs just in case. Especially if not HLO and you had to collect bags and recheck.

14/08 - QF82 - SIN-SYD - Y with checked in bags - Intl arrival at 0640 - at least a thousand people for the smart gate card machine - went to manual processing, took aboout 1 hour to clear immigration, 25 minute wait for the bags, 30 minute in the declare queue, another 20 mins in the interntional to dom transfer desk to check in the bag, then 20 mins on the transfer T bus (There were so many people in the transfer area, QF staff suggested that if your flight is after 9 am, pls use the transfer bus), then another 25 minutes in the seecurity queue at SYD dom, finally entered J lounge at 0920, for a 0945 boarding.

All in all took me over 2 hours and 20 mins approx to exit international and enter domestic J lounge.

SYD+1 flew that about 2 wks ago with checked luggage all the way from BER via DOH and SIN but got through and out in minutes!

 

[epsc]

That sounds similar to my experience on QF81 3 wks ago but at least I was starting in SYD and got there around 7am. No mention of “express pass” cards for immigration however. Not that it mattered for me. Departure was also delayed…

Yes, if you’re not transiting on the one ticket they’ll expect to see paperwork to “enter“ Singapore. Hopefully that won’t be an issue.

It might be a good idea to do the SIN entry docs just in case. Especially if not HLO and you had to collect bags and recheck.


SYD+1 flew that about 2 wks ago with checked luggage all the way from BER via DOH and SIN but got through and out in minutes!

It’s one ticket, one booking reference, just two flights.

 

[SYD]

It’s one ticket, one booking reference, just two flights.

Should be fine. We had that with SQ flying to LHR in March even though we were only transiting.

 

[Ade]

No mention of “express pass” cards for immigration however

I think this is because, technically, SYD airport no longer has "Express Path" queue. Anyone not flying J/F (regardless of the FF status) are sent to the regular queue. QF staff at F check-in mentioned this. They also said that they will give me a express path card, just in case, but said that they can't guarantee that it will help. It did get me quickly to the automated passport gates, but not thru the J/F security queue.

 

[SYD]

I think this is because, technically, SYD airport no longer has "Express Path" queue. Anyone not flying J/F (regardless of the FF status) are sent to the regular queue. QF staff at F check-in mentioned this. They also said that they will give me a express path card, just in case, but said that they can't guarantee that it will help. It did get me quickly to the automated passport gates, but not thru the J/F security queue.

Correct. But hopefully some sort of proper “Express Path” will restart eventually.

At least you had the F checkin! That was closed in the mornings until recently.

 

[Ade]

But hopefully some sort of proper “Express Path” will restart eventually.

Totally agree. If the situation at SYD is going to be lasting for a while, then we definitely need a "express" queue ... it just becomes too difficult in the regular queue -

Especially, if the pax before you pack everything including the kitchen sink and forget that they have more than 1 bag with more stuff that needs to be taken out of the bag.

Especially, if the staff are new, in-training, doesn't really know their stuff & panic at the slight tint of red/orange on the security screen. In SYD on 10/08 - clearly a new security staff under training (stuck a VIC pass on his shirt) told me that I have something on my waist & it needs to be checked. I said ok go ahead. He asked if I need to go a room, I said, "nah, that's alright we can do it here." I knew what the issue was, but the staff did not. I wear cuffed joggers and these pants have a rope that goes around the waist and needs to be knotted at the front. So it is bulgy and usually picks up the scanner. The staff will think that I'm concealing something in my waist, but in reality it's just a knot. Before asking me to lift my shirt, the staff asked if I was concealing something in my waist. As I was explaining, I lifted the shirt to show him the knot. He thought I was trying to take something and he panicked. He yelled "Sir, please don't touch anything, I will do the checking". I was like "Jeez, calm down .. I'm simply explaining what the bulge in my waist is". He clearly panicked and he started to fumble. I repeated "It's ok, calm down, it's just my pants, the pant ties a knot in the front, as you can see". This happens to me almost all the time I pass airport security and I'm completely understand.

By this time a senior staff came by and trainee showed the orange/red tint on the screen. The senior staff looked at me and he waved me thru. I overheard the senior staff explain something to him related to this incident as I picking up my bags & laptop.

I didn't mind the incident, I was looking forward to champers & a massage in the F lounge, both of which, promptly offered & accepted with a please & thank you

 

[epsc]

And sometimes all goes well. In the Q at Qantas ticket line this morning at 739am, in the immigration line at 755, walking into the lounge at 814.