SkyTeam - China Eastern Lounge Access (Skyteam Newbie Question)

I now have Flying Blue Platinum Card. I am used to One World lounge access rules - so this is new for me.

If flying China Eatern, as I undertsand it the flight itself or another flight I take that day has to be international and with Skyteam.

Q1
I assume that flights between Hong Kong and the rest of China are international. Correct?

Q2
The skyteam website does not show lounges in cities like Wenzhou and Ningbo but China Eastern has/uses lounges there - is this just because the website has not been updated? Will I be able to access these?

Q3
If I fly economy China Eastern within mainland China and no other flights that day - no lounge access based on Flying Blue Plat - correct?

Thanks in advance for the assistance.

Q1: I reckon this depends on whether China Eastern considers Hong Kong a part of China. Probably they do, so I would not rely on this being an international flight.

Q2: You should be able to access all China Eastern lounges.

Q3: Correct. (I would assume, however, that most lounge agents would be willing to interpret "same day" as "within 24 hours" because the idea of that "same day" rule is that you have lounge access if you connect to/from an international flight. As long as you do not have a stop-over, i.e. more than 24 hours between two flights, you might well be considered a passenger connecting to/from an international flight.)

Hong Kong - Mainland China flights are considered international flights.

Thanks for the feedback.

I note that the Skyteam website lists "The Wing" as a lounge that can be accessed - is this right as I'd always thought that was a CX One World Lounge.

As a separte question - what is the best Skyteam lounge in HKG?

Thanks for the feedback.

I note that the Skyteam website lists "The Wing" as a lounge that can be accessed - is this right as I'd always thought that was a CX One World Lounge.

As a separte question - what is the best Skyteam lounge in HKG?
As per this link (http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/flight/airline-information/airline-lounges.html), only VN elites/premium pax are allowed access to The Wing (third-party contract lounge).

Search around this forum for the "best" lounge. IMHO, neither one (KAL or AF) is particularly notable.

I believe you can access the CI lounge at HKG too. (Perhaps the Skyteam website mistakenly lists this as "The Wing"?)

Regarding Ningbo, there is a First Class lounge for passengers of all airlines, but no China Eastern or SkyTeam lounge. No significant food or drinks to my recollection.

Q1: I reckon this depends on whether China Eastern considers Hong Kong a part of China. Probably they do, so I would not rely on this being an international flight.



sorry... just saw this... you are joking right :D

an airline cannot determine whether a flight is international. the general giveaway is customs and immigration. all of which are required on every crossing between china and hk.

sorry... just saw this... you are joking right :D

an airline cannot determine whether a flight is international. the general giveaway is customs and immigration. all of which are required on every crossing between china and hk.

Try accessing a lounge with DL/AA/UA status when flying from the US to Mexico or the Caribbean. They're not considered "international" flights for lounge access purposes.

Try accessing a lounge with DL/AA/UA status when flying from the US to Mexico or the Caribbean. They're not considered "international" flights for lounge access purposes.

yes... fair point! :) but USA airlines are know for having this particular exception.

Try accessing a lounge with DL/AA/UA status when flying from the US to Mexico or the Caribbean. They're not considered "international" flights for lounge access purposes.
Actually, DL (http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/airport_information/delta_sky_club/sky_club_locations/index.jsp) counts Mexico (but not the Caribbean) as international for lounge access. I can kind of understand the Caribbean for US carriers, as their agents would have to become more knowledgeable about which islands are formally part of the US and which aren't.