KUL Connection time
 

Flying into KUL on Dragon Air from HKG, departing on separate PNR to SIN. Checking a bag. Please advise on time required, whether clearing customs required, etc.

Hello and welcome to FT

It entirely depends on whether Cathay Dragon (KA) will tag your bags to SIN - most likely this will be refused when you are on separate tickets. Moderator please move to the CX/KA thread as the OP will get better advice there.

If bags are not checked through to SIN, you need to clear immigration at KUL, pick-up the bags from the carrousels and proceed to check-in counters before the check-in deadline. Which airline to SIN? If MH/SQ check-in is easy and I would say 2-3 hours between the flights should do it and you will most likely be fine. If you are flying AirAsia or other LCC to SIN you need to change to different terminal at KUL and need more time.

Anyway, you should consider buying a ticket HKG- SIN directly - not worth the hassle and extra time required to fly via KUL to save a few $ IMO.

Depends who you are flying to SIN. If you are flying MH, CX will tag your bag all the way to SIN. If you are flying SQ, there is a small chance they might do it, but if it's AK, OD, TR, 3K, MI, then you are on your own. MH/SQ/OD/MI operates from the same terminal as KA where as AK/3K/TR involves a train transfer from T1 to T2.

Thanks for the help! I'm flying into KUL on KA J and heading out on MH J, so even with a checked bag, I think the timing should work - first time flying into KUL though and wanted to make sure that customs/immigration aren't crazy!

If your bag(s) are not tagged through to SIN You are asking for aggrevation ...you and your bag(s) will arrive at KUL Satellite terminal. You will then have to take train to KUL Main terminal pass through Immigration collect your bags...pass bags through customs x-ray...exit to Main...go upstairs to MAS counters to recheck yourself+bag(s)...take train back to KUL Satellite Term...and only then go J lounge for a beer...is it worth it??

PS: You haven't mentioned how much time you have between flights...so perhaps this is an exorcise to kill some of that?? :p

If you are connecting from KA to MH, you don't have to go through immigration/customs if you ask CX/KA at HKG or your first port of departure to check your bags all the way through. They will check your bags to SIN without any problems :)

As a BA Gold, you can relax at the MH F Lounge at the satellite concourse prior to your MH flight (they have a somewhat reduced afternoon tea service and if that's the case, the restaurant are more than happy to bring you food from J, or you can go to the J lounge for a wider variety of food).

close to 4 hrs :(

Why not fly direct from HK to SIN. I'd rather slum it in coach on the nonstop than fly via KL in biz. KL is not a very well laid out airport and is just a pain in general. They also have decided to utilize every square meter or space for shopping save a few rows where everyone walks bumping into each other.

We're polar opposites in that case. Unless time is of the essence, I always fly HKG-SIN via KUL in J, rather than HKG-SIN in economy (and indeed even in J). The former is worth 160 BAEC tier points return, whereas HKG-SIN in some economy segments gets you a measly 5 points each way.

In the OP's case, the key is to get CX to check bags all the way through, which they generally tend to do if it's a OneWorld connection.

And while I agree that KUL has squeezed in too much retail, it's by no means a bad airport... better than the Changi T1 and T2 experience for example.

CX/KA codeshare HKG KUL on MH and then MH KUL SIN in J is the same price as CX/KA HKG SIN in Y plus you get 4 times the MPC club points. (isn't this what FT is all about?)

IME CX at HKG has tagged my bags to SIN without me having to deal with it in KUL.

OP, you did a perfectly fine thing. I can't believe people are questioning you here.
So.yes, just ask the HKG ground staff to through check your luggage and enjoy your hassle free trip with F lounge access.

According to a news article I was reading, I think last year, there was a poll with question - 'What holidays mean to you?'.
80% of locals answered 'shopping'.

You got an idea.

^ You just put into words my impression of transitting @KUL last time.