Entering HK After Entering secure area in transit?
Dec 5, 2015, 3:40 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland
Programs: AA Explat, UA former 1K + PremExec, DL
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Entering HK After Entering secure area in transit?
my wife and I are transiting HKG from SIN to LAX in a few weeks. For various reasons my flight is 8 hrs later than hers. I would like to transit normally with her and go to the Wing, then once she boards her flight I'd like to go into town for several hours. I've been to HK before so I know immigration and the airport express are very doable, but I also know many airports make leaving the secure area after passport control (re-entering the country basically) difficult or impossible.
Can anyone tell me if/how I can do this, or do I have to bring a good book?
Thanks.
Can anyone tell me if/how I can do this, or do I have to bring a good book?
Thanks.
Dec 5, 2015, 3:37 pm
#4
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Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,815
See these threads in the cx forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...migration.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...ng-lounge.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...migration.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...ng-lounge.html
Dec 5, 2015, 8:13 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland
Programs: AA Explat, UA former 1K + PremExec, DL
Posts: 1,151
See these threads in the cx forum:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...migration.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...ng-lounge.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...migration.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/catha...ng-lounge.html
Dec 5, 2015, 8:23 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: if it's Thursday, this must be Belgium
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 6,484
I have just asked multiple airline/airport info desks. The answer ranges from "impossible once you've forgone the direct arrivals exit" (most of the answers) to "you will have to ask your airline for permission" (one answer). Sounds like it will be a matter of finding the right person to help you, and I guess the staff at the lounge may be your best bet. I wouldn't 100% count on the allowance/finding someone to help you do it... but worth a try anyway I suppose!
Dec 5, 2015, 9:46 pm
#7
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Portland OR Double Emerald (QF and AA), DL PM/MM, Starwood Plat
Posts: 19,589
The airline you are flying has to fill in a form to allow you to go landside. I've done this with CX albeit several years ago, and they had a special form in the Wing with some convoluted wording that basically authorized you to go landside to access the ticketing office; you then show this to security to go through the checkpoint "in the wrong direction" to the arrivals hall and then go through immigration/customs as normal arrival. In the current security environment that may be impossible or it may flag you for special processing (which you want to avoid). Personally I would no longer try it.
Dec 6, 2015, 12:08 am
#8
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
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Posts: 7,970
I would imagine the answer still would be to get your ticketed airline to help, but in such a case, there would be no need to access the airline ticketing office. There must be some provision to exit the airport without needing this pretext.
Dec 6, 2015, 6:55 pm
#10
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland
Programs: AA Explat, UA former 1K + PremExec, DL
Posts: 1,151
I have just asked multiple airline/airport info desks. The answer ranges from "impossible once you've forgone the direct arrivals exit" (most of the answers) to "you will have to ask your airline for permission" (one answer). Sounds like it will be a matter of finding the right person to help you, and I guess the staff at the lounge may be your best bet. I wouldn't 100% count on the allowance/finding someone to help you do it... but worth a try anyway I suppose!
Dec 8, 2015, 2:09 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: if it's Thursday, this must be Belgium
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 6,484
Those things have to do with canceling a ticket and breaking your travel plans. Of course they have allowances for those situations. This is about voluntarily leaving the airport only to return later, during a layover.
Dec 12, 2015, 1:42 am
#14
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: Portland OR Double Emerald (QF and AA), DL PM/MM, Starwood Plat
Posts: 19,589
If you follow the procedure and have the right form stamped with the right chop it isn't even a hassle, however they actively discourage it and your motivations may be interrogated or you may be profiled for further inspection in future visits to HKG. I only know the way CX handles this in the Wing, other airlines may do it differently.
Dec 14, 2015, 6:05 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland
Programs: AA Explat, UA former 1K + PremExec, DL
Posts: 1,151
If you follow the procedure and have the right form stamped with the right chop it isn't even a hassle, however they actively discourage it and your motivations may be interrogated or you may be profiled for further inspection in future visits to HKG. I only know the way CX handles this in the Wing, other airlines may do it differently.