Hong Kong Arrivals/Lounge access
 

Hi,
Was hoping someone with a bit more experience flying into Hong Kong could answer a couple of questions I had about an upcoming trip. (My wife is badgering me for answers so rather than wing it I thought I better have the info to hand :-)

Am flying CW to Hong Kong in a couple of weeks, arriving into Hong Kong at 14:20. We have an onward flight to Bangkok booked with Cathay that leaves at 16:45 (separate PNR)
I know BA won't check our bags through(unfortunately) so I'll have to go through immigration and bag pick up before checking back in. Hopefully the flight will be on time and I won't have any problems but aside from trying to get off the plane sharpish (is that possible from the Upper deck of the A380?) I guess there isn't much we can do.
Do BA give out fast track arrival cards for Hong Kong - I'm guessing not (even if such a thing exists!) but thought I'd double check just in case as that would speed things up!

If all goes wrong and we miss the 16:45 flight then do have the back up of the 21:35 flight, only in Y so no lounge access and potentially a long wait if we just miss the 16:45. If that does happen ideally would mitigate some of the long wait with lounge access. Am we able to access an arrivals lounge in HKG? Am guessing we can't use our BA boarding passes to access a lounge while we wait for the Cathay flight?

Thanks in advance!

If you are connecting from long haul J to short haul in Y you can still access the normal J lounges in the departure area of HKG on the basis of your arriving J flight in accordance with oneworld rules. Keep hold of your BA bp as you would need to show this at the lounge to gain entry.

EDIT: oh and just to confirm, there is a CX arrivals lounge but you wouldn't have access.

When you say that you have the backup of the later CX flight, you should probably not assume that CX will put you on that at no charge since, as far as they are concerned, you were a no-show for the flight you were originally booked on (in which case your return flight to HKG, in case you have one, would be cancelled as well.) Maybe I'm just making too many assumptions, and in all likelihood you'll be ok, but you should be aware of the dangers of the self-made 'connections'.

If you're BA Silver (as your sig suggests) you will have lounge access for the departures lounge only - you can use CX's or any Oneworld lounge at HKG.

The CX arrivals lounge is very nice but it is incredibly small.

Yes I noticed after I posted that it still says BA Silver, unfortunately I'm a pesky Bronze now so no lounge access off status unfortunately! Have updated my sig :-)

Great, thanks Karfa!

There is no fast track lane at Immigration for business/first at HKG, only e-channel for residents/frequent visitors. If flight is on time you will have plenty of time to pick up bags, head upstairs to departures and recheck them. Inbound and outbound immigration at HKG tends to be fairly swift even without e-channel. Don't dilly- dally coming off the plane though as a train ride to immigration is required. If all on time should still have a bit of time for a lounge. I would just see what gate the BKK flight is leaving from and pick the OW lounge nearest. QF/The Wing for lower gates. The Bridge for mid gates and if in 40/50's and The Pier for gates 60+.

Yes ... hold onto your BA CW Boarding Passes and all will be fine. Have had similar turn arounds at HKG and never any issues. Departing the plane usually fairly swift and train down to immigration should offer no hold ups. Once though immigration Bag Collection is pretty quick so then exit up up the stairs to check back in for Cathay. Lounge Princesses will welcome you with open arms with your BA Boarding passes. See if your gate is displayed and if at far end make your way to Pier lounge for a great experience.

there is an echannel to exit HK which is a significant improvement over the regular mid range amount of queueing required for those without fast exit methods.I am not sure if the same is.available for entry as I do not need it and haven't seen it.

regarding lounges, there is a great choice: the Pier, the Pier or if stuck, the Pier :D

Having tried it last week I wouldn’t bother with the arrivals lounge it’s a right zoo as way too many passengers for 6 or 8 eight showers. You’d have a better shower in one of the departure lounges.

Doing the same thing myself next weekend,

Taking the BA flight LHR to HKG arriving at 14.20 (hopefully) and then connecting on CX flight to HKG at 16.20 (so 2 hours to connect)
With no luggage or anything, so I at least hope I will make the connection and with an added bonus 10 minutes in the pier.

As noted by Karfa, the OP is not eligible to use the CX arrivals lounge anyway. Access to the CX arrivals lounge is restricted to persons flying on CX.
https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_...dmittance.html

Thanks to everyone for the advice and information, this forum always delivers! Now hopefully BA do the same will in a couple of weeks with an on time arrival for me into HKG :-)

Note relevant to the OP as you're much better off using one of the departure lounges, but there is also a Plaza Premium arrivals lounge for when not flying CX... it's directly across from the CX Arrival lounge. Access is available with Priority Pass, etc. Note that Plaza Premium actually services all of the CX lounges at HKG, though the Plaza Premium arrivals lounge doesn't have the noodle bar.

tip to OP
save the hassle of going landside. get your baggage retagged and boarding pass re-routed airside. see the CX airside transfer desk.
this would potentially save you some time depending on immigration queues

To me, it's dingy, cramped, and not worth a visit. The opposite of the airside lounges, and far inferior to the LHR BA arrivals lounge.

I agree, first time I Visited I was surprised how small it was. But still....Better than nothing.

Ah ok I didn't even realise this would be possible. So I just go to the CX Airside transfer desk with both PNRs and they can give me a boarding pass and intercept/reroute my luggage? Would certainly save me time if we're cutting it fine...

yes give them the luggage tags of your incoming and they will sort it out.

Actually I'll be checking in online anyway so i'll already have the boarding pass, it's just the luggage that's the issue. If I can get that rerouted via the transfer desk that would be very handy.

it is small. But to its (big) credit it is open till late night. Has better food than BA arrivals (though nothing like the CX airside lounges). And it's showers are a bit better (and don't have mating otters just below them)

I once arrived at aprox 10am with my luggage. Changed to hiking clothes, stored luggage in lounge storage, hiked to the big buddha, came back via bus all sweaty in the evening. Showered and went to check in. You cant do that in BA arrivals

As said if you ask the CX transfer desk they should be able to re-tag your bags.

If not, HK has recently started allowing e-passport holders to use the automatic gates for immigration. You will be through immigration maximum 10-15 minutes after leaving the aircraft. There is no fast track facility as it is not really necessary.

Assuming all is well with the flight your connection will be fine even if you do need to collect your bags. There have been high tailwinds recently so most flights are arriving early too.


You're not missing much with the CX Arrivals lounge. I don't know why they bother with it.

WARNING! There are reports that CX is no longer doing this retagging for you:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cath...l#post29029044

What an enhancement!
OP sorry for the stale info - looks like you need to go landside now

Thanks again to everyone for the advice. Made my flight in the end although the hour delay into Hong Kong made it interesting as only had half on hour from the plane landing to disembark, get through immigration, pick our bags up and then do bag drop before it closes.
Turns out if you're happy to sprint like a madman through Hong Kong airport, beg for help from the immigration staff to get to the front of the queue and run at full pelt with a big backpack on you can do it from the plane to bag drop with 1 minute to spare :-)