Originally Posted by
CXBA
there is no need to have business there to use HKG as a transit point, and you can afford to get there and have an entry visa should you need to go for an emergency. I found the cost of transit in PVG (no business yet in PEK areas) marginally different from the one in HKG and not enough in my opinion to warrant a switch there, especially considering the caos experienced in all the occasions, from check in to customs and a general indifference in attitude. Many I know have reached the same conclusions.
Like Jiejie, I couldn't understand your comments on visa either. We plan our visits at least 2 months in advance (if not any earlier), and we always arrange a Chinese visa in London. We've never done emergency visa, or never need one. If you plan your business carefully, why should you need one?
An airport to me is just an airport, I can't see HKG has any amazing stuff attracts me to use that as a transit hub. Chinese airports have worse lounges, so what?
Congestion problem exists in PVG, same as HKG. I have been sitting in a KA metal for few hours because air traffic control near PEK. If you need to go to mainland China, the delay is part of your journey regardless which route you got in. At least once you arrived in PEK/PVG, you are already in China not like in HKG.
The Chinese government is pumping money to keep Hong Kong running and to show the west. It's just to keep the face really, HKG is not the same 20 years ago.
And I remain convinced, transit through HKG is such a old fashion, and the rip off in Hong Kong is as bad as in mainland. You get fake stuff from Hong Kong, even from branded shops.