Asiana Club - Long layover in HKG connecting to OZ, checkin and lounge question

My friend is landing in HKG at 4:45pm. She is connecting to a Asiana flight to ICN just after midnight, so 8 hours in HKG airport. She is *G (United prem. exec) and is traveling economy on OZ.

The long layover isn't an issue, she plans to work most of that time.

Questions:

- Will she be able to get her OZ flight boarding pass at the transfer desk, even though the flight is not for 8 hours?

- Lounges - she has *G so she should be able to get into the Thai or SG or UA lounges with her OZ flight boarding pass and *G card. But it looks like these lounges close about 10:00pm, and her flight isn't for another 2.5 hours. Is there a *G lounge in HKG that is open later to accommodate OZ (economy *G) passengers.

- I see the Asina website lists the Dragonair lounge as their lounge in HKG, just wondering if this lounge would accommodate an economy passenger who is *G?

- And which lounge has the best food?

Thanks.

- Lounges - she has *G so she should be able to get into the Thai or SG or UA lounges with her OZ flight boarding pass and *G card. But it looks like these lounges close about 10:00pm, and her flight isn't for another 2.5 hours. Is there a *G lounge in HKG that is open later to accommodate OZ (economy *G) passengers.

- I see the Asina website lists the Dragonair lounge as their lounge in HKG, just wondering if this lounge would accommodate an economy passenger who is *G?

Correct, OZ use KA lounge in HKG. KA lounge is a contract lounge, it is not access by OZ boarding pass or *G card, you have to get a lounge invite from OZ checkin, all they care is the lounge invite.

KA lounge in HKG is not the best, really a medicore lounge. They don't even bother to put up as many newspapers and magazines even compare with UA RCC. THe only nice thing about this lounge is they have a cook-to-order Hong Kong style rice noodle soup with fish ball.

- And which lounge has the best food?

Lounge has the best food is TG, followed by UA RCC. She can just skip SKL btw.

I don't know exactly what time does all the lounges close, RCC stated it close at 9:30pm, but I know LH use RCC in HKG, and there is a flight to MUC at 11:20pm, the RCC may stay open later, but it may be only accessible by LH pax. Some of these lounges only open for particular airline.

For SKL, the SQ 2 to SFO doesn't leave til 10:45pm, so it may close around 10pm.

For TG, the last flight to BKK leaves at 10:25pm, so I guess it also close at 10pm.

OK, thanks for the tips, and nice to meet you at the "dump everything" dinner :) at the Thai restaurant in Chicago.

So I would assume that she would not get an invite into the Dragonair lounge as an economy passenger with *G status?

So I would assume that she would not get an invite into the Dragonair lounge as an economy passenger with *G status?

Yes, she would. Or you forgot all *G regardless class of travel can access lounges ? When an airline doesn't have its own lounge in other countries they always use contract lounge. Other than OZ use KA lounge in HKG, NH use AF lounge also require lounge invite to get in.

She still need to get a OZ boarding pass in HKG right ? Just show the *G card at check in and they will print out the lounge invite for her, although I don't believe OZ checkin open that early, probably only 2 hours before the flight leaves. I also think that the people work at checkin also work at the gate, meaning they won't get to the gate til the checkin close.

Recommended strategy would be to go to UA lounge for shower and freshen up (accessible without invite, just with *G card), then later if/when it closes, move to the KA lounge. This is a long walk back down the pier, but usually the OZ flight leaves from a low-numbered gate anyway at that time of night.

Alternatively, she could clear C&I, enter HKG and get a business center room or day room at the airport hotel.

As for the transit desk/OZ checkin, if they don't open until 2 hours before the flight leaves it would be difficult since she'd be stuck 6 hours in the arrival/transit no-man's-land. I feel quite sure that the transit desk staff (contract staff?) can issue the OZ boarding pass upon her arrival.

Recommended strategy would be to go to UA lounge for shower and freshen up (accessible without invite, just with *G card), then later if/when it closes, move to the KA lounge. This is a long walk back down the pier, but usually the OZ flight leaves from a low-numbered gate anyway at that time of night.



Actually OZ flight no matter day or night use either gate 16 or 17, or 18, as KA lounge is right above those gates.

Another option will probably be using SQ SKL while waiting, as it is closer to the OZ gate. But for one is transiting in HKG, it maynot be that easy to spot where it is, as it is right after immigration, before you get to the bunch of duty free stores. That SQ lounge at night is very busy, other than SIN flight, also have SFO flight, take forever to get a shower.

Actually OZ flight no matter day or night use either gate 16 or 17, or 18, as KA lounge is right above those gates.



Sorry [b]ORDnHKG[/]b I know you're on these flights a lot, but I wouldn't want to mislead the original poster's friend--this is not literally true. It may be that most of the time the flights leave from these gates, but HKG is ebtirely common use gates so any gate can be assigned to any flight. I've been on, and seen, OZ flights departing from the gates around 23 as well.

Thanks for all the advice.

As for the transit desk/OZ checkin, if they don't open until 2 hours before the flight leaves it would be difficult since she'd be stuck 6 hours in the arrival/transit no-man's-land. I feel quite sure that the transit desk staff (contract staff?) can issue the OZ boarding pass upon her arrival.
Yes, she will be landing in HKG without a OZ boarding pass so she would need to get the OZ boarding pass from the transfer desk in order enter the departure area where the lounges are. And this would be 8 hours before the flight departs, so it would be a problem if no one is staffing OZ transfer desk that early.

I've been on, and seen, OZ flights departing from the gates around 23 as well.

That is extremely rare occasion, as ailrines like to use the gate close to their lounge that they use. The time you saw OZ plane at gate 23 was it 321/737 or 747 ?

Like UA always use gate 61 and 63, NH always use gate 32, 34, and 36, as RCC and AF lounge close by those gates.

You would never see SQ using gate 40s or 60s, as SKL is right by the immigration, except at the time they have second security check for US flights.

The only airline use all different gates in HKG is CX.

Actually OZ flight no matter day or night use either gate 16 or 17, or 18, as KA lounge is right above those gates.

Another option will probably be using SQ SKL while waiting, as it is closer to the OZ gate. But for one is transiting in HKG, it maynot be that easy to spot where it is, as it is right after immigration, before you get to the bunch of duty free stores. That SQ lounge at night is very busy, other than SIN flight, also have SFO flight, take forever to get a shower.

IMHO, skip the SQ lounge as OP's friend has 8 hours to kill. If it were me, I would hang out at the TG lounge until it closes, then get an invite to the KA lounge for the convenience of being close to the gate for departure.

LAX

IMHO, skip the SQ lounge as OP's friend has 8 hours to kill. If it were me, I would hang out at the TG lounge until it closes, then get an invite to the KA lounge for the convenience of being close to the gate for departure.

LAX

If one doesn't have the onward boarding pass yet, doubt you can get into the TG lounge at all. More likely can only go to RCC as OP's friend is a 1P. The TG people sometime they say they have to photo copy your boarding pass.

If one doesn't have the onward boarding pass yet, doubt you can get into the TG lounge at all. More likely can only go to RCC as OP's friend is a 1P.
Best I can tell, if she doesn't have an onward boarding pass, then she can't even get into the departure area after she lands, so would have no opportunity to get to ANY lounge.

Best I can tell, if she doesn't have an onward boarding pass, then she can't even get into the departure area after she lands, so would have no opportunity to get to ANY lounge.

Is there a reason the BP can't be picked up at the transfer desk at HKG?

LAX

Is there a reason the BP can't be picked up at the transfer desk at HKG?

LAX

Once the 1pm flight leave for ICN there will have no staff work for OZ probably til 2 hours beofre departure of the midnight flight. However, I am not 100% sure for this as I have never transferred in HKG.

Thanks for all the advice.


Yes, she will be landing in HKG without a OZ boarding pass so she would need to get the OZ boarding pass from the transfer desk in order enter the departure area where the lounges are. And this would be 8 hours before the flight departs, so it would be a problem if no one is staffing OZ transfer desk that early.

I think you missed my point--the transfer desk is staffed all the time, and there is no OZ transfer desk per se, in Hong Kong. OZ has a limited ground staff but it is much more likely that contract staff handle transit boarding pass issuance, and that they are able to do this far earlier than 2 hours prior to departure, as any transit is interline and could be coming in much earlier.
I'm not able to verify by experience at the moment, but I'd feel 90% certain that it is the case.

That is extremely rare occasion, as ailrines like to use the gate close to their lounge that they use. The time you saw OZ plane at gate 23 was it 321/737 or 747 ?

Like UA always use gate 61 and 63, NH always use gate 32, 34, and 36, as RCC and AF lounge close by those gates.

You would never see SQ using gate 40s or 60s, as SKL is right by the immigration, except at the time they have second security check for US flights.

The only airline use all different gates in HKG is CX.

And when did OZ start scheduling either 321 OR 737 into Hong Kong? :confused::confused: It was 747 and 330, same as it's been for as long as I can remember.

And when did OZ start scheduling either 321 OR 737 into Hong Kong? :confused::confused: It was 747 and 330, same as it's been for as long as I can remember.

Have seen it before on the HK timetable once or twice, don't remember the timing, but it caught my eye it was using 321 to PUS like KE, definately it is not schedule regularly or recent, more likely charter for Hong Kong tour group.

transfer desk is staffed all the time, and there is no OZ transfer desk per se, in Hong Kong. OZ has a limited ground staff but it is much more likely that contract staff handle transit boarding pass issuance, and that they are able to do this far earlier than 2 hours prior to departure, as any transit is interline and could be coming in much earlier.
I am the OP on this one. She took the trip, landed in HKG at 6:15pm, went to transfer desk, the OZ counter was not staffed. She was told that she could wait there for staff to come, but it would be many hours, as they don't show up at the transfer desk until a few hours before the flight. This is "no-mans" land, no lounges, no restaurants.

Rather than sitting around in a hallway for 3 hours, she went through immigration into Hong Kong, went to OZ checkin counter, it opens only 3 hours before flight. So she spent 3 hours at Deli France, had a HKG$39 spaghetti and soda and used wifi until her battery died (no power nearby). Eventually got boarding pass at OZ checkin counter.

So this answers the question about getting a boarding pass from OZ transfer desk - not possible 6 hours in advance. :(