Lord Howe Island (LDH) is one of the remotest places to fly in and out of. We had already had our trip shortened by a day on the way over and nearly had our return flight extended by many days.
Qantaslink QF2263
Lord Howe to Island (LDH) Sydney (SYD)
Seat: 6B
Aircraft: De Havilland Dash 8
Duration: 2 hours
In this post:
Delays at Lord Howe Island Are Normal
Delays are common at Lord Howe Island. Barbara, our host at the Broken Banyan advised us that they normally book flights three days in advance of any medical or important appointments. After hearing that news we went online and started moving our appointments for the next few days..
We were due to depart Lord Howe Island on Tuesday, and all flights on Monday were cancelled. We spent the morning sweating that our flight would also be cancelled. In the end it was delayed for 45 minutes.
A beaming Barbara came out with the good news that the incoming flight had departed Sydney Airport and our chances of leaving Lord Howe Island had got a lot better.
While our flight got away successfully the next flight that day was cancelled. Anyone from the previous day’s flights remained in limbo until the next available flight.
What Happens If My Flight Is Cancelled From Lord Howe Island
Qantas website claims that you are eligible for accommodation and meal vouchers if your flight is cancelled. However they are now saying a cancellation must be within their control. As Qantas can’t control the weather it is likely that you will need to pay for the additional nights accommodation and meals…
Should I Take Out Travel Insurance When Travelling to Lord Howe Island
The simple answer is you should take out domestic travel insurance when travelling to Lord Howe Island. Your Credit Card Insurance usually only covers you for overseas travel.
It is possible that you will get stuck on the Island for two or three extra days. If you end up staying in some of the expensive lodges then the costs can add up quickly.
Choice has a great website to held you find domestic travel Insurance.
You Are Weighed At Lord Howe Island Checkin
Lord Howe Island has a population of less than 400 so chances are the person you saw celebrating at the bar will be the same person checking you into your flight the next day.
All passengers were weighed at check in. You carry your hand luggage on the scales, so the reality is they can be any weight. At least they did not call the weights out.
Seat Allocation seemed quite random. We were one of the first to check in and were given row six which is in the middle of the plane. I suspect it is for weight distribution purposes as they don’t know how many passengers will end up getting checked in.
You Can Watch Your Plane Arrive
The other great thing about Lord Howe Island Airport is you can watch your plane land. As we had arrived early we asked the check in attendant if we could go for a hike and she said “no worries” once you hear the plane just head back to the airport. Where else can you do that?
Once the plane was sighted all the passengers ran outside to capture the landing and observe whether the plane was buffeted by winds.
There Is No Qantas Lounge At Lord Howe Island
While there is no Lounge at Lord Howe Island there is a friendly cafe that provides flat whites, carrot cakes and toasted sandwiches. With a maximum of 36 passengers there was never any problem with servicer
Take Off Over the Lagoon
Lord Howe Island is one of the best airports for both landing and take off. We had seats 6A and 6B which meant we have views over Mt Gower and the lagoon. The views were just as awe inspiring the second time around.
In Flight Service
The only difference between the flight over and back was the addition of a bottle of wine to go with the coconut slice and cup of tea.
Row six seemed a lot less noisy than row 2 however the views were obstructed by the wing.
Landing at Sydney Airport
As the Dash 8 is a small plane we came in low over Sydney tracking over North Head, Balmoral Beach, Hunters Hill with great views of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.
There was no rush to disembark as everyone was on Lord Howe Island time, plus you had to catch the bus to the gate
Summary
Lord Howe Island is one of my favourite airports. It is probably the only airport in Australia where you can go for a hike after check in.
