As no one replied I thought I would followup. First the flight left about 1.5 hours late. Second bags were checked through to CAN because the layover was more than 6 hours.

When we arrived CZ gave us two options we could go through immigration and collect our bags and then check ourselves in at the 3 hour mark. Or CZ would collect or bags check, us and we could remain in the terminal or lounge.

As we left I was given a lounge pass we chose the latter which meant giving CZ our passports. We were escorted up to the terminal and lounge but then they would let us in even though we had been given a pass. I was not a gold member and not a CZ connecting flight (though a code share). I was kinda pissed about that.

At that point we had wasted an hour so it was certainly no longer worth going through immigration. So instead, we found a "quiet" spot in the terminal for the next three hours.

Finally around midnight we headed back to the transit desk. First we had to find someone to let us through the doors. Fortunately CZ had a desk in the terminal with someone still at it who could call down to the transit desk and come get us.

At the point we joined several others include 4 people who came off our flight but missed their connection because our flight was late. They had been down there the whole time. About 45 minutes later - approximately 1.5 before our flight a woman came in with a stack of passports and boarding cards.

We double checked everything and went up to the gate. At that point it was about 1am and all the shops had closed. So the folks waiting had no chance for a snack - other than the water and saltine crackers the transfer desk gave out.

All in all it worked out.