JFK Qantas Check-in

[Ryan K]

Hi everyone.

I'm going to be travelling from Toronto to JFK on American Eagle in May and then have a seven hour wait until my QF flight back to Australia. As I booked these flights separately, I'll have to collect and re-check my bags. Does anyone know how far in advance I can check in for my QF flight back to SYD? I'm hoping I can do this sooner rather than later and avoid a vacant Qantas check-in counter and a hellish seven hour wait at JFK...

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[Kelvin R]

I have never had an issue getting standlone AA and QF bookings linked and therefore through checking bags. When we checked in at MIA at 5 am the bags got checked all the way to Sydney, we then went shopping for the day and returned to the check in counter 1 hr before QF108 was due to depart just to pickup our boarding passes (as MIA couldn't give us these).

There is left luggage at JFK airport, so even if you couldn't through check your bag, you can pay to put it into storage for the day (we put our carry on in storage).

It is a bit of a trek into downtown New York however but it is a fun trip. Make sure you leave plenty of time to get back and pick your bags out of storage and then get over to the QF terminal to check them in. If you need more info let me know and I can post some links. To answer your original question I understand check in open 3 hours before departure.

[Ryan K]

I have never had an issue getting standlone AA and QF bookings linked and therefore through checking bags. When we checked in at MIA at 5 am the bags got checked all the way to Sydney, we then went shopping for the day and returned to the check in counter 1 hr before QF108 was due to depart just to pickup our boarding passes (as MIA couldn't give us these).

Thanks everyone for your responses. Flying into JFK from Toronto, would I be able to get my bags checked the whole way through or would I need to pick them up first? I know going to JFK via LAX you must pick up your bags and drop them off again. Anyhow, knowing that I can leave my bags in a locker does help matters.

Cheers.

[Kelvin R]

I have never done a Canada to USA transit by air, so I am not sure.

If you need to leave luggage, it is a left luggage service (not lockers). Terminal 8 has the facility in the baggage arrival hall for domestic flights. This is the terminal that your flight from Toronto arrives at. Depending on the size/ amount of luggage you could also use the Bloomingdales service in New York while you have a look around. See: http://gonyc.about.com/od/shopping/p/bloomingdales.htm for more information.

The airtrain is pretty easy to catch between terminals but depending on time of day to get from terminal 8 if you have to collect your bags from storage back to terminal 7 involves passing every other terminal on the train, so I would allow 30 minutes to get your bags and get back to terminal 7 by the time you get the staff to unlock the bag room for you and catch the skytrain. I think it took us close to 90 minutes from when we left Penn Station on the LIRR until we got back to the check in desk at Terminal 7. The LIRR only takes 20 minutes, but it is a good 5 to 10 min walk to the Airtrain, and then another 10 minutes to wait for the train, then 10 minutes around to terminal 8.

[Daniel F]

If AA checks your bags through to QF108, you will not need to pick them up on arrival into JFK because you will clear all customs and immigration formalities in Toronto. The flight arrives into JFK as if it was a domestic flight.

[Ryan K]

That's great, thanks everyone for your replies.

[Grahame Hutchison]

Every time I have been through JFK the QF staff have only manned the counters two, maybe three, hours before the flight.

I can remember sitting in the checkin area for a long time on one occasion.

[Joe Frampton]

Took this flight in October... they opened the counter at 2pm, and the departure was 6.30pm or thereabouts... Operated by BA staff of course. Cheers.

[D Chan]

Answers below:

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/airport-guide-new-york/global/en

http://qantas.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/qantas.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=6638&p_created=1289272733&p_sid=ub7pXBlk&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX 3Jvd19jbnQ9OCw4JnBfcHJvZHM9JnBfY2F0cz0yLDk4JnBfcHY 9JnBfY3Y9Mi45OCZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PWJhZ 2dhZ2UgdHJhbnNmZXI!&p_li=&p_topview=1