Catching a flight out of Sydney

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, packetau said:

just checking my list … they have Royal will have a Transfer debarking at 7.15 for a 7.45 departure to the international airport.  This transfer is geared for flights between 12noon and 3pm.... but like Gbenjo says as long as she is on time.....

It doesn't happen often but it does happen.

[Aus Traveller]

3 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Of course, but then the same can be said for any form of transport, the taxi and waiting in the queue, or for a shuttle and waiting for the departure time.

We have probably been lucky with taxis and never had to wait in a queue. We have sometimes waited in a ship's shuttle bus waiting until it is full before it leaves.

[pink845]

We will let you know how we fare with our 11:15 am flight.  Yup!  We get into OPT at Circular Quay in Mar 2020 and plan to get off ship as soon as we can taking our suitcases with us as we usually do.  We will know in advance which platform train arrives on and times.  Our flight is at 11:15 am on Air Canada.  RCCL is selling the transfer for this particular flight as well.   They say they have loads of experience getting guests to an 11:15 am flight. Okay. But I do not have confidence in them so we will do the train ourselves.  Check in for us is 2 hours prior according to Air Canada - we are flying direct to Vancouver.    We will report back here.  We are covered by our trip interruption insurance in case the ship is late arriving as apparently according to our insurance as long as the ship offers this transfer we are within guidelines for booking the flight.   Just so happens we booked the 12:15 pm flight but Air Canada changed it to 11:15 am.    With a 1:15 pm flight, you have loads of time and I would not be worried at all if that were flight.     We have great seats on our flight and I am just going to go with it and see what happens.    

[Maui Girl]

On 1/30/2020 at 3:43 AM, MicCanberra said:

Glad it worked well for you.

Okay, now I’m starting to get jumpy!   The Ruby is supposed to dock at 6am on the 21st of March which is a Saturday.   Our original flight through EZAir was 11:30ish, so that gave us the 5 hour Princess recommended window.  At some point we were notified by Delta and EZAir that the flight was changed to 10:20.   I made the assumption then that EZAir would talk to me if that was a problem.  I looked on Delta’s website and it shows 3 hours ahead for a international flight.   So— we are scheduled to have a Princess transfer, and we are in a suite this time, so we should be able to be one of the first off the ship after it’s cleared.   But, now I’m thinking about needing to go through Australian customs and the possibility of extra medical screenings at the port and/or the airport because of corona virus.    😳.  Delta doesn’t have any flights to LA later that day, so if me miss it would be an overnight.   I could check us in on my phone app though, as soon as we are docked.   Any thoughts?? 

[Chiliburn]

1 hour ago, Maui Girl said:

Okay, now I’m starting to get jumpy!   The Ruby is supposed to dock at 6am on the 21st of March which is a Saturday.   Our original flight through EZAir was 11:30ish, so that gave us the 5 hour Princess recommended window.  At some point we were notified by Delta and EZAir that the flight was changed to 10:20.   I made the assumption then that EZAir would talk to me if that was a problem.  I looked on Delta’s website and it shows 3 hours ahead for a international flight.   So— we are scheduled to have a Princess transfer, and we are in a suite this time, so we should be able to be one of the first off the ship after it’s cleared.   But, now I’m thinking about needing to go through Australian customs and the possibility of extra medical screenings at the port and/or the airport because of corona virus.    😳.  Delta doesn’t have any flights to LA later that day, so if me miss it would be an overnight.   I could check us in on my phone app though, as soon as we are docked.   Any thoughts?? 

My thoughts,are you have a problem.

[The_Big_M]

10:20 a.m is _very_ ambitious. 

 

I'd talk to EZ air, rather than waiting for them to call you. There are other airlines that service Syd-LA direct, including Delta partner VA, so they may switch you.

[Aus Traveller]

2 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

10:20 a.m is _very_ ambitious. 

 

I'd talk to EZ air, rather than waiting for them to call you. There are other airlines that service Syd-LA direct, including Delta partner VA, so they may switch you.

Agreed. I don't think you have much chance of catching a 10.20am flight, particularly as there is likely to be additional health checks.

[Maui Girl]

Thanks everyone, I think I will call today and see what they have to say.  I had thought it could be a squeaker, but now thinking about health checks 🤔 ugg

[Aus Traveller]

7 hours ago, Maui Girl said:

Thanks everyone, I think I will call today and see what they have to say.  I had thought it could be a squeaker, but now thinking about health checks 🤔 ugg

Even without the possibility of extra health checks, a 10.20 international flight would not work. We wouldn't even book a domestic flight that early and it requires check in an hour before-hand.

[The_Big_M]

I've done domestic at that time (well, a fraction earlier) in the past, but I wouldn't attempt international either.

 

Hope they can just transfer you instead of having to spend another night.

[Maui Girl]

1 hour ago, The_Big_M said:

I've done domestic at that time (well, a fraction earlier) in the past, but I wouldn't attempt international either.

 

Hope they can just transfer you instead of having to spend another night.

There’s not much to transfer to, Quantas has a flight at 11:15 or Air New Zealand flights that have stops in Brisbane or Auckland etc.   So, talked to Princess today and she went over everything and thinks we might be okay, EZAir should have red flagged it, if it was a problem.  Of course, we all know that we can get a different answer every time we call 🙄.   We should be able to disembark by 6:30am with the first group, and we may opt for an Uber instead of the Princess transfer.  Shouldn’t be a lot of traffic at 6:30-7:00 on a Saturday morning.  I guess we are going to wing it and hope for the best, if we don’t make it, it’s EZairs problem and we haven’t lost anything but stress.    I’m assuming that security at the airport will be the biggest potential bottle neck.   Thanks for all your input, wish me luck. Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve run through an airport 😁

[Chiliburn]

Is this a American ting,try to do the impossible.

[The_Big_M]

11 hours ago, Maui Girl said:

There’s not much to transfer to, Quantas has a flight at 11:15 or Air New Zealand flights that have stops in Brisbane or Auckland etc.   So, talked to Princess today and she went over everything and thinks we might be okay, EZAir should have red flagged it, if it was a problem.  Of course, we all know that we can get a different answer every time we call 🙄.   We should be able to disembark by 6:30am with the first group, and we may opt for an Uber instead of the Princess transfer.  Shouldn’t be a lot of traffic at 6:30-7:00 on a Saturday morning.  I guess we are going to wing it and hope for the best, if we don’t make it, it’s EZairs problem and we haven’t lost anything but stress.    I’m assuming that security at the airport will be the biggest potential bottle neck.   Thanks for all your input, wish me luck. Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve run through an airport 😁

 

There's a United connection at 1 p.m., which is the best option. Also Hawaiian connection at 9:40 pm but that gets you late to LA, just because it leaves so late.

[royal29]

Conditions certainly can be different for every disembarkation, yet here's what we experienced just one week ago on the Celebrity Solstice (a happy result I will say before I begin). Flights by Celebrity booked us on an 11:15 a.m. flight on American to Los Angeles (and then a connecting flight home to Chicago). I, too, worried quite a bit about the timing, but was assured by many from Celebrity this would be fine.

 

I already planned to self-disembark with our luggage with us as soon as we arrived at 6:30 a.m. at the Circular Quay and take a cab to the airport. Went to the gangway area around 6 a.m. and we were first in the line! (Many passengers quickly joined us). We docked right on time and I was expecting we would get off the ship around 6:45 a.m. But right then the captain informed us there would be at least a 45 minute delay as Australian customs officials were taking extra health precautions. (I figured due to the virus crisis, but now I was starting to get stressed.) Actually, it was an hour. However, once the door opened, we scurried down the gangway. Fortunately, we went through customs in mere seconds. Had to take two elevators to the cab area. There, in the pouring rain, was grabbed a cab immediately and despite it being rush hour, arrived at the airport around 8:30 a.m. Obviously, plenty of time.

 

Yes, we were fortunate -- and thankful. I believe being one of the first ones off the ship was extremely helpful.

[Maui Girl]

3 hours ago, royal29 said:

Conditions certainly can be different for every disembarkation, yet here's what we experienced just one week ago on the Celebrity Solstice (a happy result I will say before I begin). Flights by Celebrity booked us on an 11:15 a.m. flight on American to Los Angeles (and then a connecting flight home to Chicago). I, too, worried quite a bit about the timing, but was assured by many from Celebrity this would be fine.

 

I already planned to self-disembark with our luggage with us as soon as we arrived at 6:30 a.m. at the Circular Quay and take a cab to the airport. Went to the gangway area around 6 a.m. and we were first in the line! (Many passengers quickly joined us). We docked right on time and I was expecting we would get off the ship around 6:45 a.m. But right then the captain informed us there would be at least a 45 minute delay as Australian customs officials were taking extra health precautions. (I figured due to the virus crisis, but now I was starting to get stressed.) Actually, it was an hour. However, once the door opened, we scurried down the gangway. Fortunately, we went through customs in mere seconds. Had to take two elevators to the cab area. There, in the pouring rain, was grabbed a cab immediately and despite it being rush hour, arrived at the airport around 8:30 a.m. Obviously, plenty of time.

 

Yes, we were fortunate -- and thankful. I believe being one of the first ones off the ship was extremely helpful.

Thanks for taking the time to give me recent specific information, it’s very helpful!  
So, it can be done, with foresight and planning and luck.  Our schedule is about 20 minutes tighter than yours, but it’s Saturday so we don’t have to worry about rush hour.  We will plan to do the self walkoff as early as possible, and I think a taxi is the right choice, since they are there and ready to go.  Taking a Princess transfer would just slow us down.   I’m hoping (for everyone’s sake) that in 5 1/2 weeks from now, the extra health precautions at the port won’t be necessary, but I’m going to leave that factored in anyway!     One question-  did you check in online prior to going to the airport, so you only had to deal with bag check and security?   You indicated that arriving 2 hrs and 45 minutes ahead gave you plenty of time.  

[royal29]

Maui Girl, yes we did check in online the day before on the ship and printed out boarding passes. At least for the American flight, here's what happened at the airport, each step done QUICKLY.  There are specific desks/numbers for the luggage/check-in. Slightly different than what we're accustomed to, but we eventually found section B, numbers 19-24 (listed on big screens). With essentially no wait, an attendant helped us print out from a kiosk our luggage tags (plus new sets of boarding passes for both our flight), affixed the tags, and we took the bags to a nearby desk where a woman placed them on the conveyor. We went through two security checks, yet again VERY quickly. At least on this day (a Friday), every step quite ORGANIZED. Hoping for the same for you!

[Maui Girl]

royal29-  thank you, that’s helpful.   I’m just getting used to checking in on my phone, and haven’t done it for an international flight yet.  Sounds like the airport is well organized even though it’s a little different.  We are used to just zipping through the airport in the US because we have TSA precheck 😊, but that will be meaningless in Sydney! 
Your advice has given me a plan of attack, so hopefully it works smoothly. If not, then we will stay over and be rebooked on something.   I thought about calling Delta now, but they aren’t going to switch me over to a later flight on Quantas or United now, because I’m “nervous “.   They would say okay, buy yourself a one way ticket!  

[pink845]

MauiGirl, Good to hear you made your 11:15 am flight.  We have an Air Canada one at 11:15 am are arriving at 6:30 am as well in March.  Do you recall there being any vans outside the terminal when you grabbed your taxi.  We will be four people with four suitcases, etc.. would need a vehicle larger than the standard cab.  Still considering however taking the train.  Avoids all traffic that way and Air Canada tells us we must check in two hours prior.   

[Maui Girl]

19 minutes ago, pink845 said:

MauiGirl, Good to hear you made your 11:15 am flight.  We have an Air Canada one at 11:15 am are arriving at 6:30 am as well in March.  Do you recall there being any vans outside the terminal when you grabbed your taxi.  We will be four people with four suitcases, etc.. would need a vehicle larger than the standard cab.  Still considering however taking the train.  Avoids all traffic that way and Air Canada tells us we must check in two hours prior.   

Sorry, we have not taken our flight yet.  This current information is from royal29, hopefully he or she can answer your questions about vans. Good luck! 

[royal29]

Pink 845, yes that was us who made the 11:15 a.m. flight. Frankly, we were in such a hurry to grab the first cab we could that I did not notice if there were any vans. You should know that I have read that the trains have no luggage racks. You should confirm this. One item to add is that there were several men/women helping guide you to the next available taxi. We appreciated the assistance!

[Aus Traveller]

4 hours ago, royal29 said:

Pink 845, yes that was us who made the 11:15 a.m. flight. Frankly, we were in such a hurry to grab the first cab we could that I did not notice if there were any vans. You should know that I have read that the trains have no luggage racks. You should confirm this. One item to add is that there were several men/women helping guide you to the next available taxi. We appreciated the assistance!

These 'taxi marshals' will call up a maxi-taxi (van) for anyone who needs one.