A stop does not always mean a seamless connection. This is a gap in the booking process that catches travellers off guard regularly.
What Happened on a Melbourne to Seoul Flight
I booked a flight from Melbourne to Seoul with a stop in Sydney on Jetstar. What I did not realise until later is that Jetstar does not transfer baggage between domestic and international flights.
That meant arriving in Sydney, collecting my bags, exiting the terminal, making my way to the international airport, and checking in all over again. On a tight connection, that process can easily result in a missed flight.
This is More Common Than You Think
Budget carriers in particular often operate domestic and international services as completely separate bookings with no interline baggage agreement. The itinerary looks like one trip. The operational reality is two.
What to Check Before You Book
Any time your itinerary involves a connecting flight, confirm whether your airline transfers baggage across that connection. If they do not, factor in enough time to collect bags and re-check, and make sure you understand the terminal situation at your layover city.
A connection that looks fine on paper can fall apart quickly if you are not prepared for what it actually involves on the ground.
What is your worst connection story? Comment below.