Bettyboop10

Since we had such good information concerning our flights into and out of LAX, we will now hopefully receive the same good advice about clearnig customs and immigration in Melbourne on our way to Hobert. We had really hoped that since our luggage will be checked all the way from Atlanta to Hobert that we would not have to handle it in Melbourne. Since that is not to be, we will roll with the punches and hopefully get ahead of the game with your good hints.

With your advice on the process, we should be ahead of the game. So, our question is, what do we do after leaving our Qantas plane from Los Angeles and before loading for our next leg to Hobert on Jetstar? Someone has already told us that the international and domestic terminals are next to each and we do have a site for a map of the airport that someone graciously gave us.

Thanks from Georgia USA.

northie

when exiting your flight you will go straight to immigration, then pick up your luggage and then you exit the area-you may be asked to have your luggage xrayed or questioned by customs-then you exit out the autoamtic sliding doors , turn left to the Qantas/Jetstar terminal which is T1 -international is T 2. The terminals are joined together and well signed.The Jetstar check in area is marked, you can use the machines to check yourself in and then drop off your baggage. (Jetstar is very strict on luggage limits as is befitting a low cost airline.)After check in you will then go through security and can proceed to your gate.

Peter_S_Aus

Northie’s info is correct, and the walk from International Arrivals to Jetstar is about 100 or 150 metres. International arrivals is on the ground floor, Jetstar check in is on the first floor – you can take the escalator.

Hobart is tiny – stroll across the tarmac, collect bags, walk across the road to the hire car places, which are all in one building, about 30 metres away.

Quarantine in both Melbourne and Hobart is very strict, so do observe the rules. They have sniffer dogs sometimes, looking for plant material and foodstuffs.

ivenotbeeneverywhere

Its HobART and sniffer dogs are always there. So just no plant materials and food. Its a great airport, so small and easy to use.

Bettyboop10

Thanks for the spelling - I know better. Love your "ivenotbeeneverywhere." It took a while to figure it out.

DalaiLlama

Since you will be on a combined through-ticket Qantas-Jetstar your flight Melbourne-Hobart should fall under the international (transpacific) baggage rules (much more generous than the Aussie-internal Jetstar rules).

Jetstar is a subsidiary of Qantas and your ticket is through-ticketed, so stand your ground if a Jetstar employee gives you grief over the weight or size of your luggage. It happens.

(What I mean is this - you didn't fly to Melbourne with, say, United which has no affiliation with Jetstar, and which would have sold you a ticket terminating in Melbourne; you did not book independently a cheap Jetstar flight - that would not qualify you for the more generous allowance on Jetstar).

So insist, ditto when checking your bags in Hobart to fly back.

KayF

Just another word of caution about declaring food to customs - that includes sweets or chocolate, crackers from the plane, packets of nuts etc. They are especially strict with anything fresh, dairy, meat, seeds etc but make sure you declare anything edible at all. Some things they will let you keep but they will want to see what you have. They can scan your bags for this as well as have sniffer dogs - I always long to pat those dogs but they are working

Kay

Bettyboop10

Northie, even though our luggage is checked through to Hobart, do we still have to take it with us to the Jetstar counter? Is there not a way to clear immigration, clear luggage through customs, and then put it right back on another carrosel before we head to the Jetstar counter?

love_travel_Aus

Northie has explained that Jetstar is in the adjacent terminal - you will be taking your bags with you to them to check in and it is not a difficult walk.
I am not sure what you mean by your bags being checked right through to Hobart as you still have to collect them in Melbourne.
So - just follow Northie's really useful instructions.
Peter_S_Aus has also indicated that this is what you need to do.

Bettyboop10

Yes, I think we were living on hopes, I guess. I think it has now sunk in that our bags were be ours to handle. That is okay. The airlines had given us bad advice about checking them to Hobart. I guess we were working on the Atlanta way of rechecking. Thanks again to everyone.

DalaiLlama

There may be a Jetstar agent right as you come out of customs to take your bags off your hands since you're on an international ticket and luggage check tag. Just look around and ask and if you see nobody like that, take the bags around the corner with you and hand them to the JetStar agent that will give you your boarding pass. Either way you'll get it done.