Leaving the airport between connecting flights

Hi folks,

I will be on holiday in Tassie with my wife in a couple of weeks.
As we cashed in some of our QF frequent flyer points for the trip, the
choice of return flights from Hobart to Perth was limited and probably
not as good as with regular tickets.
We managed to get tickets from Perth to Hobart via Melbourne with a
reasonable connection, but on the way back we are routed through
Sydney, leaving Hobart on QF1020 arriving in Sydney at 12:15 and
leaving Sydney for Perth on QF583, departure time 19:25. That's more
than 6 hours transit time in Sydney!

I don't like the idea of spending half a day at SYD airport (and
letting my wife spend so much time in the airport shopping
areas ;-) ), so I thought we could go to the city for a walk around
Darling Harbour, the Opera House, a coffee, or whatever. We both have
been to Sydney before, so getting to the city is not really that
exciting for any of us, it's just to kill time, but other suggestion
are also welcome.

I just wanted to check if leaving the airport (without claiming
baggage) in a case like this is legally possible without any problems.
Here are my thoughts:
It's an all-domestic flight, so we do not cross any border at any
time. I also assume that our luggage is checked through all the way to
Perth and that we already get our boarding passes for the connecting
flight from SYD to PER later in the evening when we check in at Hobart
airport.
Then, I don't see any problem leaving Sydney airport with our carry-on
luggage, hop on the train to the city, have a good time, come back to
the airport, go straight to the security checks and then to the gate.
We don't need to deal with our checked bags before we arrive in Perth.
Does this make sense, or do I miss something?

I travel every now and then, but I have never done something like this
before, so I thought I better check.

Cheers,
Bob

As you say, its fine. You just go back through security and go to the
departure lounge in time for the flight.

--
Bernie
www.acst.com.au
wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi folks,

I will be on holiday in Tassie with my wife in a couple of weeks.
As we cashed in some of our QF frequent flyer points for the trip, the
choice of return flights from Hobart to Perth was limited and probably
not as good as with regular tickets.
We managed to get tickets from Perth to Hobart via Melbourne with a
reasonable connection, but on the way back we are routed through
Sydney, leaving Hobart on QF1020 arriving in Sydney at 12:15 and
leaving Sydney for Perth on QF583, departure time 19:25. That's more
than 6 hours transit time in Sydney!

I don't like the idea of spending half a day at SYD airport (and
letting my wife spend so much time in the airport shopping
areas ;-) ), so I thought we could go to the city for a walk around
Darling Harbour, the Opera House, a coffee, or whatever. We both have
been to Sydney before, so getting to the city is not really that
exciting for any of us, it's just to kill time, but other suggestion
are also welcome.

I just wanted to check if leaving the airport (without claiming
baggage) in a case like this is legally possible without any problems.
Here are my thoughts:
It's an all-domestic flight, so we do not cross any border at any
time. I also assume that our luggage is checked through all the way to
Perth and that we already get our boarding passes for the connecting
flight from SYD to PER later in the evening when we check in at Hobart
airport.
Then, I don't see any problem leaving Sydney airport with our carry-on
luggage, hop on the train to the city, have a good time, come back to
the airport, go straight to the security checks and then to the gate.
We don't need to deal with our checked bags before we arrive in Perth.
Does this make sense, or do I miss something?

I travel every now and then, but I have never done something like this
before, so I thought I better check.

Cheers,
Bob

On 2/13/07 1:20 PM, in article , "GB"
wrote:

wrote in news:1171373353.373578.304930
@h3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:
I don't like the idea of spending half a day at SYD airport (and
letting my wife spend so much time in the airport shopping
areas ;-) ), so I thought we could go to the city for a walk around
Darling Harbour, the Opera House, a coffee, or whatever.

One, or 'tother, but perhaps not both. That 6 hours of transit
time might translate into 2-3 hours of actual useable time. Be
sure to have your escape route from the city well planned, and
factor in buffer time, etc. There's nothing that sucks quite like
missing your connecting flight!


We both have
been to Sydney before, so getting to the city is not really that
exciting for any of us, it's just to kill time, but other suggestion
are also welcome.

I read this and thought "If I was out near the airport, what would
I do... oh, i'd go to the airport and watch flights arriving and
departing"... Hmmm, perhaps not what you had in mind.

If you want generic shopping centre type stuff, then Eastgardens
Shopping centre is about $15-$20 by cab away, due east, but that
would not likely be any better than wandering the airport shops.

I've not been, but there's a new 'wildlife park' opened up on the
city side of Darling Harbour that looks quite interesting. Next to
the Sydney Aquarium I think. $65 bucks for 2 adults, 2 kids is a bit
rich, but it might be less damage to your ccard than a shopping
centre! www.sydneywildlifeworld.com.au. You probably should take a
cab from central to get there... It's not far, but that area of
town is a bit like the Bermuda Triangle insofar as navigating around
it goes! Actually the Aquarium, whilst also expensive, gets a pretty
good rap from visitors too, so if you like seafood better than
kangaroo.... :-)

The Powerhouse Museum is good too. Plenty in there to keep little
tackers and big tackers occupied for 3 hours, and its the kind of
place that you'll get something out of it whether you're going there
for 2 hours or 7. $25 entry for family. A bit tricky to get to I
guess, unless you think outside the square and *walk*!!! Take the
airport train to Central and then walk out the western side of
Central Station, across broadway, then walk up Quay Street for
the whole length of the street, go up the stairs beside the
monorail station and walk across the bridge and the Museum is right
there. You could even lunch in Chinatown if that takes your
fancy. For extra bonus points take the kids for a lap on the monorail!
Returning to the airport from the Powerhouse Museum is easy,
hop a cab on the front steps of the museum and it's pretty much
a straight line back to the airport, the return ~might~ take you
as little as 20 minutes (I'd allow 40 to be safe).

I just wanted to check if leaving the airport (without claiming
baggage) in a case like this is legally possible without any problems.
Here are my thoughts:
It's an all-domestic flight, so we do not cross any border at any
time. I also assume that our luggage is checked through all the way to
Perth and that we already get our boarding passes for the connecting
flight from SYD to PER later in the evening when we check in at Hobart
airport.

Don't assume those things. ASK! If you get the right answers, then
yeah, should be no problem with leaving the airport. Don't guess
though. Tell the check-in agent that you want your bags checked
right through to Perth, double check that s/he's done that, etc.

Worst case, there are some pretty big luggage lockers on the
departures level, landside, at the big Qantas terminal (the one you'll
be departing from). Not cheap, but beats carting luggage around the
place.


Then, I don't see any problem leaving Sydney airport with our carry-on
luggage, hop on the train to the city, have a good time, come back to
the airport, go straight to the security checks and then to the gate.
We don't need to deal with our checked bags before we arrive in Perth.
Does this make sense, or do I miss something?

It sounds right to me, but as I said, I'd be making sure at the time
of check-in.


I travel every now and then, but I have never done something like this
before, so I thought I better check.

It's not such a big deal, so long as (1) you know where your bags are,
and (2) you have your escape route from the city well and truly planned
so you don't miss your flight. Set yourself a hard cuttoff time at which
you drop whatever you were doing and head for the airport. Be
conservative with timing, things always take longer than you expect.

Feel free to drop me an email for directions if you need 'em.


G


Does the security system still allow lockers in airport terminals in
Australia? In all of North America, and I know in France and the UK, you
must never leave your luggage unattended and lockers were removed years ago.
Unattended luggage can cause the terminal to be evacuated. I know it has
happened in Vancouver a couple of times.

Martha T2 Canada

MI wrote:
Does the security system still allow lockers in airport terminals in
Australia?

The lockers were removed citing "Government security regulations" but
nobody has ever been able to quote exactly which regulation required this.

Sydney and Melbourne have staffed luggage storage. Photo ID is required.

Cheers
David

"MI" wrote in message
...



On 2/13/07 1:20 PM, in article , "GB"
wrote:

wrote in news:1171373353.373578.304930
@h3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:
SNIP

Does the security system still allow lockers in airport terminals in
Australia? In all of North America, and I know in France and the UK, you
must never leave your luggage unattended and lockers were removed years
ago.
Unattended luggage can cause the terminal to be evacuated. I know it has
happened in Vancouver a couple of times.

Martha T2 Canada


If the bags are checked through to Perth then there is no luggage to leave,
so no problem except for hand luggage which can be taken with you. There is
no problem leaving the terminal secure area as there is no checkpoint for
people leaving and arriving people are not chached against flights at
security screening. MDs warning of leaving PLENTY of time to get back is
relevant, otherwise knock yourself out.

On 13 Feb 2007 05:29:13 -0800, wrote:

Hi folks,

I will be on holiday in Tassie with my wife in a couple of weeks.
As we cashed in some of our QF frequent flyer points for the trip, the
choice of return flights from Hobart to Perth was limited and probably
not as good as with regular tickets.
We managed to get tickets from Perth to Hobart via Melbourne with a
reasonable connection, but on the way back we are routed through
Sydney, leaving Hobart on QF1020 arriving in Sydney at 12:15 and
leaving Sydney for Perth on QF583, departure time 19:25. That's more
than 6 hours transit time in Sydney!

I don't like the idea of spending half a day at SYD airport (and
letting my wife spend so much time in the airport shopping
areas ;-) ), so I thought we could go to the city for a walk around
Darling Harbour, the Opera House, a coffee, or whatever. We both have
been to Sydney before, so getting to the city is not really that
exciting for any of us, it's just to kill time, but other suggestion
are also welcome.

I just wanted to check if leaving the airport (without claiming
baggage) in a case like this is legally possible without any problems.
Here are my thoughts:
It's an all-domestic flight, so we do not cross any border at any
time. I also assume that our luggage is checked through all the way to
Perth and that we already get our boarding passes for the connecting
flight from SYD to PER later in the evening when we check in at Hobart
airport.
Then, I don't see any problem leaving Sydney airport with our carry-on
luggage, hop on the train to the city, have a good time, come back to
the airport, go straight to the security checks and then to the gate.
We don't need to deal with our checked bags before we arrive in Perth.
Does this make sense, or do I miss something?

I travel every now and then, but I have never done something like this
before, so I thought I better check.

Yep, should be no issue. Your hold baggage should_be checked through to Perth.
(We had a mixed carrier flight to the south pacific ex Perth, and QF in Perth
said it would need to be collected in Siddley and re-lodged with AirNZ. Not so,
it was checked through to destination as we expected.)

Incidentally, you can even escape the airport confines in Singapore on through
flights (they don't have any other kind anyway) and do a city tour or whatever,
but have to be reprocessed to re-enter the secure areas again of course.

wrote in message
ups.com...
I just wanted to check if leaving the airport (without claiming
baggage) in a case like this is legally possible without any problems.
Here are my thoughts:

Won't be a problem, I'm sure your baggage will be checked through (check
though, of course).

I would suggest getting a train ticket from the airport (OK, they're a bit
expensive, but not as much as a cab), go into Circular Quay and jump on a
ferry to Toronga Zoo or Manly. Another option (we did this) is to book a
Bridge climb- great views! Takes about 3.5 hours all up, so you would need
to check your timing. We arrived at the airport at 9 am, went on our climb
at 11, and got back to our hotel (the Novotel near the airport) at 3pm, so 6
hours all up. http://www.bridgeclimb.com/default.htm

On Wed, 14 Feb 2007 02:20:49 GMT, "Mil80C"
wrote:


"MI" wrote in message
...



On 2/13/07 1:20 PM, in article , "GB"
wrote:

wrote in news:1171373353.373578.304930
@h3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:
SNIP

Does the security system still allow lockers in airport terminals in
Australia? In all of North America, and I know in France and the UK, you
must never leave your luggage unattended and lockers were removed years
ago.
Unattended luggage can cause the terminal to be evacuated. I know it has
happened in Vancouver a couple of times.

Martha T2 Canada


If the bags are checked through to Perth then there is no luggage to leave,
so no problem except for hand luggage which can be taken with you. There is
no problem leaving the terminal secure area as there is no checkpoint for
people leaving and arriving people are not chached against flights at
security screening. MDs warning of leaving PLENTY of time to get back is
relevant, otherwise knock yourself out.

There is one hazard associated with long connections. I've been
burned a couple times this way. If the bag arrives at the connection
point before the connecting flight is open for check-in, there is no
baggage area assigned for the flight yet, so the bag(s) gets put off
to the side. On several occaisons, I've had bags that nobody
remembered to retrieve once the flight opened, and as result I went to
the next destination, but my bag did not. There wasn't any great
difficulty in locating the bag, but it still took an extra day.

So my advice would be to when you come back to the airport, remind
the checkin staff that your bag has been there for a while, and they
should check with the baggage handling folks to make sure it ends up
with the baggage that is supposed to travel on the flight.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi folks,


I don't like the idea of spending half a day at SYD airport (and
letting my wife spend so much time in the airport shopping
areas ;-) ), so I thought we could go to the city for a walk around
Darling Harbour, the Opera House, a coffee, or whatever. We both have
been to Sydney before, so getting to the city is not really that
exciting for any of us, it's just to kill time, but other suggestion
are also welcome.


Why not take a taxi to Bondi and go for a walk along the coastal path.
Should blow out the cobwebs.

Gerrit