HKG transfers - bag retag?

[cmon0005]

Hi All,

I am currently planning a trip where I would be flying into HKG on UL on one ticket, then within 3 hours connecting to QF flight on another ticket, obviously with OW's new baggage interline policy I would now have to recheck bags,etc.
I realise 3 hours is 'tight' especially given HKG's ATC delays often experienced, but I am willing to risk it.

I know Singapore has a great transfer desk service including retrieval and retagging of bags behind the scenes, but does Hong Kong airport have a similar transfer service? I couldn't find anything on-line.

 

[ermen]

1/ Actually 3 hours is plenty. ATC is not an issue in HKG - it's only from/to the mainland where it happens. You will be doing CMB-BKK-HKG won't you?

2/ FWIW - I have heard of people on FT doing airside re-tag in HKG. It is certainly possible. But there was a little bit of an "attitude" from the AA counter

3/ You should check if UL still honours the interline (e.g. MH still does)

 

[cmon0005]

1/ Actually 3 hours is plenty. ATC is not an issue in HKG - it's only from/to the mainland where it happens. You will be doing CMB-BKK-HKG won't you?

2/ FWIW - I have heard of people on FT doing airside re-tag in HKG. It is certainly possible. But there was a little bit of an "attitude" from the AA counter

3/ You should check if UL still honours the interline (e.g. MH still does)

Rather than ATC delays I should have said general air traffic congestion sorry my mistake, the amount of times I've flown from Australia to HKG only to have to circle around the ocean for 40-60 mins due to congestion at HKG I've lost count. That is what I am worried about.

Sri Lankan I believe will not interline either, even before I had to fight for UL to honour interline of bags (however I believe this to be due to the use of 3rd party checkin agents at a lot of ports).

 

[ermen]

yeah my view is try for 1/ UL, 2/ airside re-tag. if both an issue, it shouldn't be a problem going out and re-checking even if your flight is 1hr delayed in my view!
good luck!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm with ermen on this - HKG is not generally known for ATC restrictions or air traffic congestion. Well - at least even if there are restrictions I have always arrived more or less on time (we might have been 'early' otherwise). HKG to/from mainland china is another story.

3 hours would be plenty of time to go outside and collect bags (and to also get your departure tax refund). 2.5 hours also. Under two hours you might be pushing it depending on immigration lines.

 

[JohnK]

I am planning more trips via HKG in next few months. I generally leave ~2 hours between connections and have been OK so far.

Also the transfer desk in HKG works in almost exactly the same way as SIN. Turn up with luggage tag from previous flight and they will manually tag your bag through to destination. I have also seen the luggage with the appropriate first luggage tags after transferring to Qantas.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Hi All,

I am currently planning a trip where I would be flying into HKG on UL on one ticket, then within 3 hours connecting to QF flight on another ticket, obviously with OW's new baggage interline policy I would now have to recheck bags,etc. I realise 3 hours is 'tight' especially given HKG's ATC delays often experienced, but I am willing to risk it.

I know Singapore has a great transfer desk service including retrieval and retagging of bags behind the scenes, but does Hong Kong airport have a similar transfer service? I couldn't find anything on-line.

Is there a return sector back to HKG on the QF ticket eg HKG/MEL/HKG? Ditto for the UL one - is it eg CMB/xBKK/HKG/xBKK/CMB?

If it is, provided UL are happy to through check your bags (and therefore get boarding passes too) that should also link your return flights so if UL check your bags CMB/xBKK/HKG/MEL when you checkin for the return journey (assuming it's a nested ticket) QF should already see the UL oncarriage HKG/xBKK/CMB if the flights were merged for checkin purposes in CMB.

The UL and QF pnrs in reservations of course remain separate - just talking about the checkin process.

 

[defurax]

I am planning more trips via HKG in next few months. I generally leave ~2 hours between connections and have been OK so far.

Also the transfer desk in HKG works in almost exactly the same way as SIN. Turn up with luggage tag from previous flight and they will manually tag your bag through to destination. I have also seen the luggage with the appropriate first luggage tags after transferring to Qantas.

Do you know when the QF transfer desk is open? I will be arriving from HEL on AY at 2:30PM and connecting to QF at 8:50PM. I hope I can get my bag re-tagged at the transfer desk. If not I guess I'll take the Airport Express to Kowloon and re-check my bag instead of waiting until 5PM for QF checkin to open.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Do you know when the QF transfer desk is open? I will be arriving from HEL on AY at 2:30PM and connecting to QF at 8:50PM. I hope I can get my bag re-tagged at the transfer desk. If not I guess I'll take the Airport Express to Kowloon and re-check my bag instead of waiting until 5PM for QF checkin to open.

IIRC the QF transfer desk is staffed three hours before departure. But that should be any QF departure to any port. So if there's one leaving earlier than 850 you should be able to check in then.

Going to Kowloon should get you back in the lounge by 4 - 430.

 

[Fergo747]

May or may not be useful, but at the end of August I was able to interline EK > QF transiting HKG on two separate PNRs (I was able to check in from origin right through to Syd). Made the transfer a lot easier and even better that my EK flight was at gate 62 right next to one of the smaller transfer areas (as we already had our boarding passes) with literally no one using it. My guess is that it was less than 10mins from deplaning until we were in The Pier where we subsequently spent the next 5 hours.On a more related note, AY does list QF as an interlining partner (notwithstanding the changes to the Oneworld rules) so I would see whether it's possible to check through and avoid the palava of heading into Kowloon and missing out on lounge time.

 

[defurax]

AY does list QF as an interlining partner (notwithstanding the changes to the Oneworld rules) so I would see whether it's possible to check through and avoid the palava of heading into Kowloon and missing out on lounge time.

Reports on FT are that AY only through check to AY when travelling on separate PNRs. My QF flight is a reward flight, but I don't think AY are making an exception like QF when combining revenue and award tickets. I can always ask when checking in with AY, but my guess is that it won't work. If the QF transfer desk is not open when I arrive I think I'd rather take the train to Kowloon than wait in front of QF checkin for 3 hours...

 

[Sprucegoose]

I have done airside retag in HKG and found the staff at CX most helpful. In this case you will need a QF agent (?)

There is a quicker immigration process available in honkers now which you can register for assuming you are flying on a AUS passport.

If you can't re tag the Kowloon option will break the day up !

 

[defurax]

There is a quicker immigration process available in honkers now which you can register for assuming you are flying on a AUS passport.

Yes, I am registered to use the immigration "e-Channel" and the new security lane for HK residents and e-Channel users makes the process even quicker! You can step out the Airport Express train and be sitting in the Wing First in less than 5 minutes.