Can't go through immigration until flight opens - c4 hours prior to departure

[RooFlyer]

A new one for me. Passport got rejected at SmartGate at MEL,, so I had to go to the manual counter and wait. Very puzzeled migration officer took a little while to figure out why it wouldn’t accept me, and then said that I couldn’t proceed through immigration until the flight was 'open'.

I had arrived on a domestic connection a bit under 7 hours prior to departure of my international flight.

Immigration officer had to go over over to the supervisor’s desk who apparently made a call, I guess to Qantas and got the flight opened so I could proceed through.

Never heard or experience that before. When I arrived at the Qantas First lounge, I queried the policy. Apparently it’s always been a thing but this year ABF have decided to enforce it, maybe at times when they deem that the terminal is approaching capacity???

 

[Pushka]

A new one for me. Passport got rejected at SmartGate at MEL,, so I had to go to the manual counter and wait. Very puzzeled migration officer took a little while to figure out why it wouldn’t except me, and then announce that I couldn’t proceed through immigration until the flight was 'open'. New for me.

I had arrived on a domestic connection a bit under 7 hours prior to departure of my international flight.

Immigration officer had to go over over to the supervisor’s desk who apparently made a call, I guess to Qantas and got the flight opened so I could proceed through.

Never heard or experience that before. when I arrived at the Qantas First lounge, I queried the policy. Apparently it’s always been a thing but this year ABF have decided to enforce it.

That's crazy for people like us who have to travel interstate to connect with international flights. Especially Qantas ones.

 

[Austman]

I've been told many times by the staff at the passengers only entrance to international departures in MEL (where they check your BP) that if I try to go through too early I might have problems inside.

So far I've been OK but I don't think I have ever been more than 4 hours before my flight. Usually less than 3 which is when most international check-in at MEL opens.

 

[SYD]

The ABF system has had this for ages but usually not an issue. Someone else reported a similar issue - don’t recall if it was MEL or SYD but I thought the airlines ”opened” thei flights fir the day at the beginning of the day?

The only time I’ve had this issue was a delayed flight (SB SYD-NOU). Due to a cyclone, it was reschedule to the next day and SB didn’t normally fly that day.

 

[RooFlyer]

I thought the airlines ”opened” thei flights fir the day at the beginning of the day?

"3 or 4 hours prior" according to both ABF at immigration, and also the Qantas First lounge.

As I said above, they may have been an issue where they want to control the number of people airside today, at that time.

 

[Austman]

"3 or 4 hours prior" according to both ABF at immigration, and also the Qantas First lounge.

That's when desk check-in/baggage drop opens at MEL international? It's 3 hours for most flights, 4 hours for A380s and maybe some other large aircraft.

I've been through earlier than that with HLO as long as I had a BP.

But not much earlier.

 

[RooFlyer]

The issue as Pushka noted above is for those of us who connect through from other ports. We can arrive any time that day with our boarding pass for the flight - like I did, BP issued in ADL in the morning, for my 6:45 pm flight.

 

[Austman]

The issue as Pushka noted above is for those of us who connect through from other ports. We can arrive any time that day with our boarding pass for the flight - like I did, BP issued in ADL.

Yes. And for those who might have an international BP from on-line check-in with lots of time to spare.

An international BP from on-line check-in was rare for the past few years ...

The staff at the passengers only entrance to international departures in MEL have told me, a few times, that earlier than 3 or 4 hours is actually an ABF decision.

But that might not be right.

I suppose you could try the domestic lounge next door if knocked back?

 

[RooFlyer]

that earlier than 3 or 4 hours is actually an ABF decision.

But that might not be right.

I suppose you could try the domestic lounge next door if knocked back?

I don’t really see why ABF would care one way or another, but who knows?

Yes, the Qantas First lounge chap said if I was bounced by immigration I would have had to hoof it back to the domestic terminal and sit in the lounge there for a couple of hours. .

Ha! I just googled the topic and this thread came up

 

[Austman]

I don’t really see why ABF would care one way or another, but who knows?

"If they think it's too crowded" the staff at the passengers only entrance to international departures in MEL have told me.

But who knows?

 

[RooFlyer]

There is or was something similar in Canada for USA preclearance. From memory in Calgary they never let me into the US preclearance area until two hours prior to my flight. This was an issue of having you officially in USA, while in a Canadian departure area for too long.
Maybe ABF think you might get up to mischief if you are airside for more than four hours?

 

[Austman]

Maybe ABF think you might get up to mischief if you are airside for more than four hours?

I also wondered if they needed an operation confirmation from the airline to prevent too many pax from having to potentially go back land-side again if there's a cancellation?

SYD won't let you on the domestic air-side transfer bus to/from the international terminal unless you have an onwards BP for that day. Not even a BP for early the next morning will work.

"Why?", I asked. Something about limiting the number of pax in certain secure areas.

 

[serfty]

It's been like this for decades.

An archaic system that does not take onto account domestic to international transits or OLCI, let alone many of the regular things that can occur.

The airline must "open" the flight, it is over 20 years since I encountered this the first time with a call having to be made.

 

[knagelli]

A new one for me. Passport got rejected at SmartGate at MEL,, so I had to go to the manual counter and wait. Very puzzeled migration officer took a little while to figure out why it wouldn’t accept me, and then said that I couldn’t proceed through immigration until the flight was 'open'.

I had arrived on a domestic connection a bit under 7 hours prior to departure of my international flight.

Immigration officer had to go over over to the supervisor’s desk who apparently made a call, I guess to Qantas and got the flight opened so I could proceed through.

Never heard or experience that before. When I arrived at the Qantas First lounge, I queried the policy. Apparently it’s always been a thing but this year ABF have decided to enforce it, maybe at times when they deem that the terminal is approaching capacity???

We once had to wait for almost 4 hours at the BNE airport as checkin for next flight was not open until 6 in the morning and we arrived at airport around 1 AM.

 

[Warragul]

The flight needs to 'open' in the ABF border movement system, which is done manually at each port by ABF staff. Generally the whole days flights are open in one go, but some ports/ people get a bit cough and will do some in batches for various spurious reasons or a bit of finger trouble when selecting all the flights on one go.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I had a situation once arr F on SQ and first to immig and ABF had not loaded that SQ flt had landed - had to wait around 10mins for flt to load and processing activated - no big deal but getting rejection at gates on arr does make mind twig

 

[exceladdict]

The ABF system has had this for ages but usually not an issue. Someone else reported a similar issue - don’t recall if it was MEL or SYD but I thought the airlines ”opened” thei flights fir the day at the beginning of the day?

The only time I’ve had this issue was a delayed flight (SB SYD-NOU). Due to a cyclone, it was reschedule to the next day and SB didn’t normally fly that day.

Could have been me - I had to transit QF8 to QF5 DFW-SYD-PER, but wanted to enter Sydney during the 12 hour gap.

F check in (WP travelling Y) wouldn't accept my luggage until 4 hours prior. Paid to store it and came back later after a day in the city.

 

[SYD]

I had a situation once arr F on SQ and first to immig and ABF had not loaded that SQ flt had landed - had to wait around 10mins for flt to load and processing activated - no big deal but getting rejection at gates on arr does make mind twig

Ah, yes had the same thing happen last year arriving home on SQ. Lots up ABF peeps nattering to each other to open the flight.

Could have been me - I had to transit QF8 to QF5 DFW-SYD-PER, but wanted to enter Sydney during the 12 hour gap.

F check in (WP travelling Y) wouldn't accept my luggage until 4 hours prior. Paid to store it and came back later after a day in the city.

Yep. I was told by SYD F checkin staff a few weeks ago that “all day checkin” wasn’t happening anymore. But others have indicated it’s hit and miss if it’s 4 hrs or more.