Originally Posted by
lex04
Thanks all for the advice. The problem with SQ 31 is that J is sold out on 3/18. I'm currently wait-listed on that flight.
On the visa issue in PEK, I have a valid multiple-entry Chinese visa, though I doubt I could use that for transit, or if it would even speed things up.
I'll look into SQ 11 from LAX. The other itinerary they offered was PSP-SFO-NRT-SIN with NRT-SIN on ANA. 1hr 33 min connection in NRT. Seems better than PEK if there are no other options.
You can absolutely use your multiple-entry visa for transit -- but it won't matter, because if you had to change terminals (and thus go through immigration), you'd never make your connection.
The one time that I transited PEK, there were CA reps going through the transfer line looking for passengers on certain flights and pulling them to the front. I don't know if other airlines do the same (or are even allowed to do so by PEK). It took me about 40 minutes to get through the line, IIRC -- I had a three-hour transit and ended up with about an hour in the lounge.
I wouldn't take the flight as scheduled without making sure I had a backup plan in case of a delay. You're cutting it really, really tight. (The legal MCT for I-I at terminal 3 is one hour, so this is nearly the tightest possible connection they'll sell).