Searching high and low on here for anyone who's like me and thinks the Sydney airport pickup zones are the worst idea that I've never seen at any other airport.
That old QF pickup zone now stands empty with no stopping signs, and just past it the bus zone is nearly always empty.
I really can't understand what they were trying to achieve. Why couldn't they have moved the bus zones away from the terminal since they're hardly used and the far out yellow pickup zone could have become a dedicated bus terminal ready for new services.
I really think that every time Sydney airport make an 'enhancement' they just make things worse, does anyone agree?
Sydney airport should get rid of the yellow pickup zone and revert back to the old zones
The only passable pickup zones (tiny ones) at T1 are the ground level Disabled Zones, which are unknown to 99.99% of passengers, and relatively quiet. Even they are policed by a traffic dalek who is itching to find a reason to move you on :(
The real issue is the new SYD domestic pickup zones - "Express" and "Priority" - not only are the names confusing but the signage is abysmal and it makes for an awful customer experience. If you're unfortunate enough to have to walk to the further "Express" pick up zone, which is actually the least express zone, it's a 10-minute walk through dim-lit car parks, tacky decorations and pop music to get there. Certainly not an easy walk for families with children or the elderly. At the Priority pickup you pay a premium toll to use, but even Express is only free for 10 minutes.
It's an embarrassment to Sydney and Australia for the city's domestic gateway to be such an ill-conceived joke.
The real issue is the new SYD domestic pickup zones - "Express" and "Priority" - not only are the names confusing but the signage is abysmal and it makes for an awful customer experience. If you're unfortunate enough to have to walk to the further "Express" pick up zone, which is actually the least express zone, it's a 10-minute walk through dim-lit car parks, tacky decorations and pop music to get there. Certainly not an easy walk for families with children or the elderly. At the Priority pickup you pay a premium toll to use, but even Express is only free for 10 minutes.
It's an embarrassment to Sydney and Australia for the city's domestic gateway to be such an ill-conceived joke.
This is my point - you make it so well. The express zone is a million miles away from the terminal. If you're infrequent to Sydney you'll never be found and it always requires a phone call to the person waiting to try and spot you.
Nowhere else in the world have I experienced it. On the other hand if I want to get a bus or a train I am used to walking to them and sometimes great distances. I just done know why Sydney went the opposite
All to do with making money for the airport owners.
There is at every Aust airport a group of people whose job it is to keep traffic moving, even taxis.
Taxi passengers do have to pay a levy for using taxis to and from airports.
From SYDd to SYDi, the levey is about $4.40 the last time I used it.
Most likely majority of the money goes to SACL, and part to GST and part to taxi ownership company.
I get that it's a money making excercise but even Melbourne and Brisbane who are privately run haven't done something so stupid. Pick up zones at those airports are still right at the front of the terminal and it moves fairly well.
I get that it's a money making excercise but even Melbourne and Brisbane who are privately run haven't done something so stupid. Pick up zones at those airports are still right at the front of the terminal and it moves fairly well.
Brisbane tried it, the backlash was so intense they reverted very quickly.
Maybe its time to get back to water/land transport, what with airports going over security screenings, now needing most likely photo id, no access to gates without a proper boarding pass ala Singapore, or retina scan, or finger print screening, and that jazz.
Sydney domestic is about as ugly and inconvenient an airport terminal as it is possible to find. An ad hoc mess that just gets worse everytime they meddle with it. I'd close and demolish the centre carparks and shift all parking out to the Blue Emu facility with a frequent shuttle service put in place like at Perth. Reintroduce pick-up and drop-off zones in the freed up space and make it look a bit nicer with gardens. Something that the city could be proud of rather than the concrete jungle it is now.
I tend to go upstairs to the drop off zone to get picked up. That doesn't work that well in peak times but is usually fine off peak. Sydney airport is atrocious, overpriced for zero service. Walking to either of the special 'zones' is ridiculous. Poor way finding and poor footpaths and a rip off price at the end of all that.
ryanpst
ryanpst
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 27 Jun 2013
Total posts 72
Searching high and low on here for anyone who's like me and thinks the Sydney airport pickup zones are the worst idea that I've never seen at any other airport.
Please wait...
pkjames
pkjames
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Jan 2017
Total posts 44
The best part of sydney airpot are the plane spotting locations :(
sid
sid
Member since 07 Jan 2011
Total posts 200
Do you mean Domestic or International terminals?
Andrew Barkery
Andrew Barkery
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Mar 2011
Total posts 431
All to do with making money for the airport owners.
MissBasset
MissBasset
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 31 Aug 2012
Total posts 71
The only passable pickup zones (tiny ones) at T1 are the ground level Disabled Zones, which are unknown to 99.99% of passengers, and relatively quiet. Even they are policed by a traffic dalek who is itching to find a reason to move you on :(
alexlips99
alexlips99
Member since 16 Jun 2017
Total posts 5
The real issue is the new SYD domestic pickup zones - "Express" and "Priority" - not only are the names confusing but the signage is abysmal and it makes for an awful customer experience. If you're unfortunate enough to have to walk to the further "Express" pick up zone, which is actually the least express zone, it's a 10-minute walk through dim-lit car parks, tacky decorations and pop music to get there. Certainly not an easy walk for families with children or the elderly. At the Priority pickup you pay a premium toll to use, but even Express is only free for 10 minutes.
It's an embarrassment to Sydney and Australia for the city's domestic gateway to be such an ill-conceived joke.
ryanpst
ryanpst
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 27 Jun 2013
Total posts 72
ryanpst
ryanpst
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 27 Jun 2013
Total posts 72
It's an embarrassment to Sydney and Australia for the city's domestic gateway to be such an ill-conceived joke.
ryanpst
ryanpst
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 27 Jun 2013
Total posts 72
Dredgy
Dredgy
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Member since 02 Apr 2017
Total posts 176
craigj77
craigj77
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 09 Aug 2016
Total posts 12
Sydney airport generally is horrible...
Andrew Barkery
Andrew Barkery
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Mar 2011
Total posts 431
Maybe its time to get back to water/land transport, what with airports going over security screenings, now needing most likely photo id, no access to gates without a proper boarding pass ala Singapore, or retina scan, or finger print screening, and that jazz.
Fonga
Fonga
Member since 12 Feb 2014
Total posts 61
Sydney domestic is about as ugly and inconvenient an airport terminal as it is possible to find. An ad hoc mess that just gets worse everytime they meddle with it. I'd close and demolish the centre carparks and shift all parking out to the Blue Emu facility with a frequent shuttle service put in place like at Perth. Reintroduce pick-up and drop-off zones in the freed up space and make it look a bit nicer with gardens. Something that the city could be proud of rather than the concrete jungle it is now.
mitchimus
mitchimus
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 23 Mar 2012
Total posts 67
I tend to go upstairs to the drop off zone to get picked up. That doesn't work that well in peak times but is usually fine off peak. Sydney airport is atrocious, overpriced for zero service. Walking to either of the special 'zones' is ridiculous. Poor way finding and poor footpaths and a rip off price at the end of all that.
moa999
moa999
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 02 Jul 2011
Total posts 835
They are planning on moving the public buses (and they will be a long way from the terminal). Although at least you won't need to navigate the loop.