Originally Posted by
vtski009
1. If I'm flying Air China straight through will I need to recheck bags both inbound and outbound journeys?
2. Are the signs clear for queuing at all the checkpoints?
3. Any perks or advances in queues due to having the business visa and/or flying business class?
Welcome to FT!
1a. On the outbound LAX-PEK-CAN, you will need to claim your checked luggage at PEK. After clearing immigration, take the train from T3-E to the baggage carousels. As you enter the baggage hall, look to your left and slightly behind you. There is a corridor leading to "domestic connections." Go there
after claiming your luggage. If you exit customs the other way, you will be in the arrivals hall. This then means that you will need to find the check-in desks for domestic flights upstairs. It's a hassle, but not a major one, because either way, you still need to go through security screening in the same general area of T3-C.
1b. On the return, you can check your luggage all the way back to LAX. At PEK, your flight will come into either T3-C, T3-D, or a remote pad. Whichever way, follow signs for "international connections," and eventually you will be funneled to the immigration hall underneath T3-E.
2. Signage at PEK is excellent.
3. Other than the diplomatic level, IIRC there are no special queues for business visa holders and certainly not people traveling business class.
IMO, many of the horror stories about PEK stem delays that expose the shortcomings of interlining between two airlines. Those are minimized when you are traveling on one airline, and especially CA, since PEK is its major base and has ample resources, such as staffing and other facilities, for service recovery. Good luck!