Is a 55 minute connection possible at HKG airport?

[JohnK]

I am looking at booking an RJ (Royal Jordanian) flight BKK-HKG which arrives in HKG at 20:05 and connect to QF128 HKG-SYD which departs at 21:00. There is also QF98 HKG-BNE which departs at 23:15 but I was looking to spend a 4-5 hours in SYD to collect laptop and clothes before heading back to BNE for the week.

The bookings will be on separate PNRs (don't know how to get these flights on the same booking and keep the cost reasonable) and the routing is BKK-HKG then HKG-SYD-BNE.

Is it worth the risk? I do not have a backup plan. I can call QF and link the 2 bookings so at least they know I will be arriving on RJ. If I do miss the connection is QF likely to put me on the direct QF98 HKG-BNE?

Appreciate any thoughts.

 

[serfty]

55 minutes, even at HKG - no way!

Qantas will start boarding ~40 minutes before departure. More than that, checking in may be a big issue.

 

[N860CR]

For interests sake... The last few times I've taken RJ182, it's arrived an hour early. I think they must overestimate the block times.

If you have no bags you could OLCI QF and go straight to the gate.

 

[straitman]

The usual question John, and only you can answer, is it worth the risk and the inconvenience involved if things go pear shaped :?:

 

[dajop]

I think you know the answer to your own question!

If you want to risk it I would try and get an award booking on the BNE flight so you have a plan B if there's a misconnect. Being an award flight it can of course be cancelled if all goes to plan. But if there is a misconnect ther's a good chance you will lose the QF 128 fare.

 

[markis10]

I think you know the answer to your own question!

If you want to risk it I would try and get an award booking on the BNE flight so you have a plan B if there's a misconnect. Being an award flight it can of course be cancelled if all goes to plan. But if there is a misconnect ther's a good chance you will lose the QF 128 fare.

I have had Qantas requiring me to cancel my backup plan in that situation, they could see my award booking with BA ex SIN and a revenue booking on QF an hour later, and insisted I cancel it or move it! Yield management dont like you having two seats on two planes, even if you paid for both!

 

[JohnK]

The usual question John, and only you can answer, is it worth the risk and the inconvenience involved if things go pear shaped :?:

The same can be said if I booked QF98 HKG-BNE departing at 23:15 which is an unprotected 3:10 hour connection. At which point do we say a connection on separate bookings is not a risk?

I think you know the answer to your own question!

Perhaps I do know the answer.

Just looking for alternatives getting back from BKK the long way and keeping the cost. A return booking out of SIN would be perfect but the huge increase in CX airfares (economy BKK-SIN return on CX is close to AUD1000) has put a halt to that idea. Not too keen on travelling Air Asia or Tiger BKK-SIN with 3 bags (including golf clubs).

 

[PaulC83]

The same can be said if I booked QF98 HKG-BNE departing at 23:15 which is an unprotected 3:10 hour connection. At which point do we say a connection on separate bookings is not a risk?

I guess its not so much as a point at which its no risk but a point at which any reasonable delays (which as we all know do happen in the airline industry) will still allow for a connection. An example could be the flight is on time, but a medical requirement could mean somebody priority off loading or something preventing getting off the plane etc.

Also since you will be with your bags, they won't be on the QF plane to hold it up, there would be very little consideration for QF to wait for you in the event of a delay.

Having said that if you can link the bookings (assuming they will do it as a valid MCT), and your prepared for the disappointment of possibly ending up on QF98, then it may be worth it, as said your the one who has to make that call!

 

[v8Statesman]

I am doing this on two Bookings and it has me worried

14:15 Hong Kong 18:00 Singapore

CX735

19:25 Singapore 00:30 (Wed) Perth

QF78

 

[simongr]

I have had a 55 minute connection at HKG (QF to QF on a single booking) - it was tight and I had to forgo half a glass of champagne due to slow service in the QF/BA F lounge...

I was however in J in section A so was first off the aircraft.

 

[JohnK]

I wish QF offered more flight choices from the Qantas Hong Kong website. Funny enough it offers a choice of CX to SIN and then JQ to DRW and BNE. Not as flexible as the Qantas SIN website or offering multi-city trips.

I am doing this on two Bookings and it has me worried

14:15 Hong Kong 18:00 Singapore

CX735

19:25 Singapore 00:30 (Wed) Perth

QF78

I have a similar connection in SIN and I am not worried about that one. Arriving on CX from HKG at 18:00 and connecting to QF010 at 19:45. Should have plenty of time to spare unless things go horribly wrong.

 

[v8Statesman]

I have a similar connection in SIN and I am not worried about that one. Arriving on CX from HKG at 18:00 and connecting to QF010 at 19:45. Should have plenty of time to spare unless things go horribly wrong.

My SIN-PER ticket is Full Y, so I am not worried about loss of fare. Just the annoyance of getting to SIN and having to pay for a night at "walk-in" rates at the Crown Plaza T3. Oh and the potential loss of 15k QFF points if the upgrade comes through, then I fail to board.

 

[anat0l]

55 minutes - too tight for my liking.

That probably goes against the connection book for every single international airport in the world (with the possible exception of SIN).

I'd allow at least 2 hrs on an unprotected connection. 1.5 hours would be my minimum.

To be perfectly honest, with an unprotected connection, if things really went pear shaped there's not a lot of arguing about minimum connection times that would do you (or anyone) any good. You just have to suck it up and hope you can negotiate a good recovery plan.

 

[markis10]

MH do have BKK-SIN via KUL for $400 RT + Tax or $526 all in.

 

[anat0l]

My SIN-PER ticket is Full Y, so I am not worried about loss of fare. Just the annoyance of getting to SIN and having to pay for a night at "walk-in" rates at the Crown Plaza T3. Oh and the potential loss of 15k QFF points if the upgrade comes through, then I fail to board.

I feel more confident about yours, but that's mainly because a 1h 25min connection time at SIN seems a lot easier to achieve than 55min at HKG.

 

[mannej]

55 minutes at HKG is achievable if everything goes ok. However if things do go pear-shaped, it is messy.

CX do offer connections of 55 minutes CX-->CX, which I made comfortably (even sitting in Y), but that is another story on it's own seeing that you should be protected if you did miss the connection

 

[JohnK]

To be perfectly honest, with an unprotected connection, if things really went pear shaped there's not a lot of arguing about minimum connection times that would do you (or anyone) any good. You just have to suck it up and hope you can negotiate a good recovery plan.

I agree. I was toying with the idea of a 55 minute connection as I would be checked in online (and have boarding pass) and have luggage tagged through BKK-HKG-SYD. Sure QF may start boarding early but in all likeliihood they would be expecting me to turn up which would have bought me some extra time.

Also given my recent experience of missing check-in for a flight and rebooked by QF on the next one for the cost a change fee (also reported by others on AFF) I thought it is worth the risk and QF will rebook me on the direct HKG-BNE flight later in the night

MH do have BKK-SIN via KUL for $400 RT + Tax or $526 all in.

Yes I did see this one last night but seems like a waste of money for an economy flight. I wonder if Air Asia for ~AUD80 each way would have been worth it?

Anyway I have scrapped any plans for a tight connection in HKG on an unprotected booking. Will probably end up doing something out of SIN (and stick to A380) closer to the date.

 

[HardieBoys]

55 minute connection in HKG: very dangerous. I wouldn't do it. If you have to make your way from the gates straight inside the Immigration queues to the far gates (in the 'Y') it's a good 20 minutes at a fast trot, with no allowances for error. Additionally, you would have to ensure that there would be no delay in arrival, and no delay in disembarkation, as well making the plane before the flight was closed.

 

[wandering_fred]

The HKG connection will also depend on the length of the lines getting through transit/transfer security. Getting on the train and using the closer in lanes can sometimes be faster. Iffy on separate tickets.

The SIN connection is now being offered on a single ticket from the QF HKG website. The minimum connection is an hour anyway - so the issue would be CX flight delays. And there is no transit security except at the gate. I'd try it though I would normally want 2-3 hours. The QF lounges are quite acceptable.

YMMV

Fred

 

[JohnK]

The SIN connection is now being offered on a single ticket from the QF HKG website.

Which Australian city? I could only get CX to SIN then JQ to BNE.

Also it is not easy to get a CX business class flight and a QF economy flight on the one booking unless you pay for business class and get a downgrade on one leg.

The minimum connection is an hour anyway - so the issue would be CX flight delays. And there is no transit security except at the gate. I'd try it though I would normally want 2-3 hours. The QF lounges are quite acceptable.

I would not have an issue with a shortish connection in SIN. From experience CX is quite good with on time performance in SE Asia. And if something did go wrong I am quite confident that QF would look after me regardless of whether the connection is protected or not.