HKG transit and lounge access before "departing"

[Austman]

And yesterday I received this email from the Hong Kong Airport Authority:

[FONT=&quot]Thank you for your email dated 6 June. We would like to reiterate that, in general, once passengers have accessed to departure level, they are requested to seek the assistance from their own airline if they wish to leave the restricted area or go back to the arrival level. Therefore, you are advised to contact your airline for such request.[/FONT]

 

[JohnK]

I'm not sure what the migration/security issue is. If passengers with long transit times change their mind and want to visit HK for a few hours, why shouldn't they allowed to do it?

You are allowed but I am not sure if you are allowed entry to departures if your flight is not until next day.

I posted on AFF how dad and I arrived ~7:00am with a ~11:30pm departure. Bags checked through on QF. On arrival went back through to departures for some breakfast. Then went to service desk in general departure area and asked for exit slip. Allowed back out through security side entry and cleared immigration. Went to hotel and back to airport later that evening.

Also did a similar thing a couple of years ago with another AFFer when we missed last connection of the night. Went back to departures to access lounge then exited security, immigration and went to hotel. Returned to airport next day.

 

[Austman]

You are allowed but I am not sure if you are allowed entry to departures if your flight is not until next day.

You only need a boarding pass, so if you have that you are OK.

I posted on AFF how dad and I arrived ~7:00am with a ~11:30pm departure. Bags checked through on QF. On arrival went back through to departures for some breakfast. Then went to service desk in general departure area and asked for exit slip. Allowed back out through security side entry and cleared immigration. Went to hotel and back to airport later that evening.

Also did a similar thing a couple of years ago with another AFFer when we missed last connection of the night. Went back to departures to access lounge then exited security, immigration and went to hotel. Returned to airport next day.

Seems that process is no longer valid. An airline staff member now has to escort you back to arrivals. There might be a wait before someone is available to do that.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lou

to be honest... why should anyone bug airline staff to take them out of the departures area just because they want free food and drink? That staff member could be doing something else, like helping passenger who actually need it.

 

[Austman]

Re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lou

to be honest... why should anyone bug airline staff to take them out of the departures area just because they want free food and drink?

Because it's part of the airline's service? Why "bug" airline staff at all?

CX does have an arrivals lounge at HK, so they acknowledge an arrivals facility is part of their HK service offering (the free food and drink etc). I qualified to use the arrivals lounge but it closes at midnight while the departure lounges are open until 01:30 or later. I arrived at about 23:40.

Maybe CX should keep their "arrivals" lounge open until 2 hours or so after the last arrival?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lou

Because it's part of the airline's service? Why "bug" airline staff at all?

CX does have an arrivals lounge at HK, so they acknowledge an arrivals facility is part of their HK service offering (the free food and drink etc). I qualified to use the arrivals lounge but it closes at midnight while the departure lounges are open until 01:30 or later. I arrived at about 23:40.

Maybe CX should keep their "arrivals" lounge open until 2 hours or so after the last arrival?

It is not part of the advertised service to escort passengers from the departures area back to immigration to re-enter the country on a passenger whim. For cases of a cancelled flight or an emergency, sure.

The arrivals lounge is an advertised service, with specified opening hours.

I'm not sure why the arrivals lunge is open that late? Is it to cater for the last of the bus connections to the mainland?

 

[Austman]

Re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lou

It is not part of the advertised service to escort passengers from the departures area back to immigration to re-enter the country on a passenger whim. For cases of a cancelled flight or an emergency, sure.

It probably shouldn't need to be an airline service at all. Transit PAX are free to go through to HK immigration and customs when they arrive without an airline's permission or escort. They just can't do it later if they choose to first go to the departures area.

For those with a long transit time - they had better hope they make the right decision!

I'm not sure why the arrivals lunge is open that late? Is it to cater for the last of the bus connections to the mainland?

To cater for... arrivals?

As most of CX's long-hauls arrive by ca 22:00, they probably think 2 hours after that is sufficient.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lou

It probably shouldn't need to be an airline service at all. Transit PAX are free to go through to HK immigration and customs when they arrive without an airline's permission or escort. They just can't do it later if they choose to first go to the departures area.

For those with a long transit time - they had better hope they make the right decision!



To cater for... arrivals?

As most of CX's long-hauls arrive by ca 22:00, they probably think 2 hours after that is sufficient.

Most people would go home or to their hotel arriving at night. I'm scratching my head to see why there is a need for an arrivals lounge at 2200 unless pax have something like a bus to the mainland. (I could possibly see some need for an arrivals lounge up until about 7-730pm - to cater for people wanting a shower before going straight to dinner maybe?)

Indeed most arrivals lounges close fairly early on in the day - not at night.

Choosing to go to the departures area mixes transit pax with those who have left the country. There are potentially more immigration concerns with a passenger needing to be 'relanded' than one who is arriving. Why airline staff need to be involved I'm not entirely sure, unless it is to sort out any potential problems with someone who is seeking re-entry.

 

[Austman]

Re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lou

Most people would go home or to their hotel arriving at night. I'm scratching my head to see why there is a need for an arrivals lounge at 2200 unless pax have something like a bus to the mainland. (I could possibly see some need for an arrivals lounge up until about 7-730pm - to cater for people wanting a shower before going straight to dinner maybe?)

The arrivals lounge is open to 24:00 actually. If you fly to HK from the mainland or some closer regional airports you can experience pretty terrible airport lounges and in-flight service even when flying CX/KA (eg 3 x dry biscuits and a bottle of water on my single class KA flight was ALL that was offered). So the late opening arrivals lounge might be a CX/KA gesture to make up for it.

A quick meal and or a shower before onward land travel or going home or to stay with friends/relatives or to a hotel can be welcome. That's what I was after. And not having to deal with my hotel's (expensive) room service so late.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lou

The arrivals lounge is open to 24:00 actually. If you fly to HK from the mainland or some closer regional airports you can experience pretty terrible airport lounges and in-flight service even when flying CX/KA (eg 3 x dry biscuits and a bottle of water on my single class KA flight was ALL that was offered). So the late opening arrivals lounge might be a CX/KA gesture to make up for it.

A quick meal and or a shower before onward land travel or going home or to stay with friends/relatives or to a hotel can be welcome. That's what I was after. And not having to deal with my hotel's (expensive) room service so late.

My reference to '2200' was a bit generic. Save for the mainland land/water connections I can't see the purpose of an arrivals lounge anytime after about 1900-1930 (shower before going straight out to a dinner).

personally I wouldn't keep friends waiting around at 2300 while I went to a lounge to have a leisurely shower and eat food, I'd be wanting to minimise their inconvenience by getting there as soon as possible. As for food, there are paid (and cheap) options available either in the arrivals hall or in the city.

 

[Austman]

I can't see the purpose of an arrivals lounge anytime after about 1900-1930 (shower before going straight out to a dinner).

It seems that CX/KA see the purpose.

Back on topic:
Over on FT, re the question of going to arrivals from the departures area in HKIA, it's being reported that CX now demands that you cancel your existing ticket before they will assist you.

Using HKG departure-side lounges before clearing immigration - Page 3 - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[MEL_Traveller]

It seems that CX/KA see the purpose.

Back on topic:
Over on FT, re the question of going to arrivals from the departures area in HKIA, it's being reported that CX now demands that you cancel your existing ticket before they will assist you.

Using HKG departure-side lounges before clearing immigration - Page 3 - FlyerTalk Forums

Sounds like a rogue agent making up the rules. There might be a legitimate reason for someone wanting to leave.

But I believe the circumstances to utilise (waste) staff time should be greater than someone who can't afford to eat on arrival. If I was working on the immigration desks I would perhaps be asking the passenger if they had sufficient funds to cover the period of their stay :shock:

 

[JohnK]

It seems that CX/KA see the purpose.
Back on topic:
Over on FT, re the question of going to arrivals from the departures area in HKIA, it's being reported that CX now demands that you cancel your existing ticket before they will assist you.

Arrivals lounge is fine if you have arrivals lounge access.

If you have an unavoidable ~16 hour transit through the day then you need to decide whether you stay or leave the airport and come back later.

What a silly enhancement. Entering departures from an arriving flight means you haven't actually arrived in HKG nor left. You should be allowed to enter departures and then leave again on long transits. The exit slip used to take <5 minutes. How silly.

This is where places like SIN are great for transits. I can stay airside and use lounge and then leave to check luggage in again or anything else I want to do.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What a silly enhancement. Entering departures from an arriving flight means you haven't actually arrived in HKG nor left. You should be allowed to enter departures and then leave again on long transits. The exit slip used to take <5 minutes. How silly.

This is where places like SIN are great for transits. I can stay airside and use lounge and then leave to check luggage in again or anything else I want to do.

Agree Singapore is a good system. But as HKG has separate arrivals and departures flow, entering the departures area (a) takes up security staff time and perhaps more importantly, (b) takes a member of airline staff away from their duties to have to retrieve the passenger, then escort them to immigration.

pi know if I was that member of staff I wouldn't be too pleased if it was simply a money saving exercise

 

[JohnK]

pi know if I was that member of staff I wouldn't be too pleased if it was simply a money saving exercise

Staff don't need to know real reason.

Need to think of valid reasons to exit airport for long transits in HKG.