My husband and I and our son were on AC 15 on 19 December - from YYZ to BKK via HKG. In spite of a travel advisory that flights that day might be delayed / cancelled because of the impending snowstorm, we were happy when the plane started on time towards de-icing.
However, that necessary procedure took more than 2 hours thereby pushing arrival in HKG to 15h00 instead of 14h20. Later we heard then plane would be arriving at 15h20. Our connecting flight to Bangkok was at 16h00 and we were a little concerned we may not make it. It was the tightest connecting time we ever had. I chatted with a few members of the AC crew. "Oh don't worry you'll be placed on the next flight!" We knew that. We were to be met by a guide in BKK. Then, Rick the steward gave me a shot of hope and optimism. HKG he opined is "the best airport in the world" There would be people with signs waiting for late arriving passengers who would be taken promptly to the connecting flight. What about luggage I asked? Rick said the luggage will make it.
Sure enough at arrival a young woman Ka-Wah and a young man Kits were at the exit with a sign bearing out names and departing flight #. As soon as we had identified ourselves they asked for our boarding passes which unfortunately had not been issued in YYZ. "Give us your tickets passports & luggage tags then" & they were off running to the Cathay Pacific counter. Withing minutes Ka-Wah escorted us through security and on towards the departure gate with all the necessary documents.
As we walked I asked "what about our luggage? We need our summer clothes?" She told me the "people in the basement" have already been notified. AC has informed Cathay Pacific but as a rule CX does not accept to take luggage that have arrived less then 1 hour. Shocked, I replied "CX would accept passengers arriving less than 1 hour but not their luggage?!" She assured me everything possible is being done.
Upon arrival in BKK we were very happy indeed to see that our luggage had been transferred after all.
Rick was right. HK is the best airport in the world.
Thanks and best wishes for 2009 to Ka-Wah and Kits who proved their efficiency.
I should mention that AC's ground service in HKG is out-sourced to a third party service provider.
Ka-Wah and Kits are likely not AC staff but work for this third party service provider.
You will likely be writing a very different post if it happened in YVR or YYZ.