TOMFORD

On an award ticket? What segments did you have before after PEK? And on what airlines? I think if your answer to the previous three questions is more than one sentence long, you'll find your reason for not being rerouted. Another reason is probably the other thousands of people affected wanted the same thing.

aBroadAbroad

Since your question is specifically related to a layover at Beijing, I've moved the thread to the designated China forum.

Good luck!

~Moderator, Asia Forum

jiejie

I wouldn't sweat this too much. Chinese airlines aren't noted for being proactive, and I think at this point the CA woman gave you your options. They aren't going to address right now, what they feel could be a non-problem. 70 minutes is possible if your first flight is on time and you already have your boarding pass. In the event you don't make the connection, then it's time to put the ball in CA's court and make them find an alternative, which might mean an overnight somewhere but it certainly won't mean being stuck in Beijing until Sunday. There's a 21:10 - 00:35 PEK-KMG flight, overnight there, followed by a morning 11:10 KMG-RGN flight next morning. You'll get to your destination about 13 hours later than planned. Other routings are possible using other Star Alliance airlines via BKK or SIN.

fromYXU

I originally posted in Delta forum but I did not get any responses,

I am looking at HAN-PEK-SEA in November. HAN-PEK with Vietnam Airlines and PEK-SEA with DL. Both are at Terminal 2. Is 3 hours a safe transfer? Do I have to go through customs/passport check? Planning on carry-on only.

Alternatively, I could do HAN-ICN-SEA with a 2 hour transfer.

Thanks!

gmitchs

I find international transfers go much more smoothly at ICN than PEK. However, I have only transferred PEK through Terminal 3. PEK is constantly affected by delays so 3 hours would be minimum I would allow.

beep88

>> Do I have to go through customs/passport check?

transit immigration and security check.

FLLDL

I would take the 2 hr transfer at ICN over the 3 hr at PEK, all else being equal.

PEK is the most delayed airport in the entire world and service recovery in China leaves a lot to be desired if something goes wrong. ICN on the other hand is a well oiled machine for transfers.

jiejie

I prefer ICN to PEK for transferring. However, if the price differential is substantial in favor of PEK, 3 hours for T2-T2 transfer at PEK is way more than enough. T2 is much smaller than T3, doesn't have the volume of intl flights, and things seem to move faster. You would have to pass Immigration but usually one of the desks is marked for International Transfers which would expedite things a bit (or go to the Special desk, usually near the Diplomat/APEC desk). If it's VN512, that arrives at a pretty slow time for Intl Arrivals and it's usually on-time into PEK. With either airport, in addition to the terminal security screen, you're going to have an extra gate security check at either PEK or ICN since you're USA-bound.

bmwe92fan

Need some advice from the locals here.... I'm looking at some award tickets flying HND-PEK on NH (in J) and then PEK-BKK on TG (in F). The layover is 3.5 hours. I'm thinking that this should be fine as I will clear transit immigration and then security - and then head to the lounge.

Two quick questions: 1) Will I be able to check the bags direct to BKK from HND? 2) Anything I am missing / things to watch out for? I really try not to connect via PEK but have no choice as it is the only route avaialble for my date on Star Alliance....

moondog

3.5 hours should be fine even if you are required to pick up and recheck bags (very unlikely these days at PEK... in contrast to PVG).

bmwe92fan

Thanks - That is what I thought - but I know enough to ask if I'm not sure LOL!

YuropFlyer

Can second moondog. You should be fine, and the only problem regarding check-through your bags might be the agents at HND. Make sure to bring out our printed eticket PEK-BKK and communicate what you like them to do, as my experience with CI agents in Japan as a whole hasn't been about perfect English communication skills. And if they're unwilling to do, it's not that much hassle to pick up and recheck your luggage, so Plan B would work too.

bmwe92fan

Thanks - when I have connected through PEK it has almost always been on the same carrier - or without checked bags - so not familiar with the process... I'm thinking it should be fine and will see how it goes!

kay sedia

We are arriving on Thai Airways from Bangkok and flying Air Canada to Vancouver on a life miles business ticket. We have only 1 hour 50 minutes to connect and am a bit concerned. What kind of passport control should we expect and do we get our luggage checked through from Bangkok or have to pick it up? On the way in we had an overnight layover and left the airport so had to go through the visa stuff but with a straight connection is it still required? TIA!

YuropFlyer

First of all, you didn't had to go "through the visa stuff" when you went landside, you simply got a TWOV (transit-without-visa) stamp.

Second: You'll get your passport checked (Chinese authorities are less Laissez-faire than their Malaysian counterparts prior to MH370..) but that's usually rather fast, no need to fill out arrival cards etc.. After than, you'll descend one level, have a security check, and then you're departure airside. I've had those checks without any queue in the past, or with rather significant queue as well (taking 30min both together)

1 hour 50min in perfectly fine for that (assuming your incoming flight is not more than 30min delayed) and you can even make the connection with a delay of up to 1 hour, however I would hurry (walk fast and cut queues with your boarding pass in hand etc.) if your departure is already within 1 hour once you've landed.

And yes, luggage is checked through.

PEK is usually not very complicated to transit, actually I prefer it over quite a few airports by now.