CMB Transit & Turnaround
 

In a couple of weeks, I'm doing a CMB turnaround on CX, flying in on CX703 (arrival at 00:55) and flying out on CX700 (departure at 02:25) on seperate tickets.

Am I correct in understanding that

1. The same aircraft operates the two flights and as such in the event of any delays, I'll be "safe". Is it even possible to call CX and link the two tickets?

2. I can collect the boarding pass for the outbound sector while checking in at HKG? (I've heard and read anecdotal reports of this being possible, as well as some FT reports of this not being the case).

3. Lastly, a day prior to this turnaround, I'm connecting from 9W to CX (seperate tickets) with about 4 hours in between. I have organised a transit visa (ETA) should I need to go land side but I'm guessing (hoping) I can remain airside and check in at the transit counter. Is this the case?

1. Yes its the same aircraft but different crew. No harm linking PRN's though... there have been reports that some have been met by ground staff at CMB after notifying CX about the imminent turnaround

2. I have not been succesful but do try and report back...

3. Not sure - will leave to others...

The "usual" CMB transit process is that you walk to the end of the pier where the transit desks are, show your passport and grab the boarding pass there. If you don't have the boarding pass for the turnaround sector from HKG, it's a 5-10 minute process max. I'm not sure if CX uses the same gate all the time, but the last time I came in, it was at the very end of the pier so the walk is the majority of the time. CMB is small so it's pretty straightforward. I had a connection there from CX to UL which was under MCT, separate tickets, and I arrived at the transit desk at 55 minutes instead of the required 60, and they reopened the flight to get me my boarding pass, without a word of complaint.

CX will give you both BP at HKG if you ask

Update:

The transit was effortless. Had to wait airside till T-3 when CX checkin opened landside. The UL staff member took my passport and a printout of the eTicket over to the counters and returned 10 minutes later with all four boarding passes and lounge invites.

I dont think that you can get the return ex-CMB bp at BKK.

If you purchased your tickets online, just head to the transit desk and they'll get your boarding pass / lougne invite etc sorted - you may see massive queues at times, but they should clear quite quickly - I have seen a large group waiting in queue impatiently, and then heading en-masse to the immigration desks, twice.

If you bought the ex-CMB ticket from CX's local reservations office and need to sign the charge slip, notify them that you're doing a turnaround and they'll have someone waiting for you at the jetbridge. (last time they told me 'incase you can't find the person, please go to the transfer desk and specifically ask for Cathay staff instead of UL staff who do most of the ground ops for CX)

Oh, and in the latter case, do give them a couple of minutes. Last time i did a turnaround, I was first off the plane and didnt see anyone in the jetbridge, but bumped into the person riding the travelator holding my name-tag-card heading towards the gate, as I made my way to the transit desk.

I was able to get all the BPs for the sectors I'm flying tomorrow (4/1) while passing through HKG today.

Tickets were purchased online at CX.com.

Nice!

Never been able to get them @ SIN - hope thats changed, though my next few trips to CMB will likely not be turnarounds.

Did an immediate turnaround in CMB on CX last week. Was able to get my return BPs already in SIN, despite being on a separate booking. During checkin in SIN the return flight from CMB flight was somehow not yet open in the system, but the CX supervisor issued the ex-CMB boarding pass then at the gate shortly before boarding. He was quite confused and couldn't understand why I would fly back on the same aircraft again: "What? You're flying straight back...okay?...never had this before. Well, you must love CX" :p :D

Turnaround was pleasant, regarding lounge in CMB I suggest the Lotus First Class lounge as it's much quieter there compared to the Business Class lounge. Flights in general were fine, well, two standard red-eye flights and not the best seats for sleeping (regional configuration).

I did this several weeks ago. Checked in online for the CMB-SIN CX710, but no self-printed boarding pass available. While checking in at SIN for CX711 SIN-CMB, I asked if they could send a message to the CMB station to tell them I would be checking in for the return flight at the UL transit desk at CMB. Got off the plane at CMB and there was a UL ground staff with my name on a board at the gate, and she handed me my boarding passes for CMB-SIN-HKG that day and HKG-LHR the next day, so I was in the lounge 3 minutes after disembarking with an hour and a half to kill before the return flight.

I would be cautious of doing this, on my recent trip with Cathay Pacific 3 out of 4 flights had a delay of over one hour. If the airline try's to make up time for its delay that could give you a shorter connection time and Colombo airport is not an easy airport to get what you need done especially in a short time frame. Wish you good luck and hope all goes well.

As long as you can get your boarding passes issued before getting to CMB (and from experience, HKG lounges have almost always been able to do it, same with the Transit Check-In counter in BKK) there is no problem doing a short turnaround in CMB.

Would u mind pm me the contact because the Cmb CX res office always insist I need to clear immigration and go landslide to sign the charge slip. However I just refuse to to do this and when I arrive I just tell the CX CSO and they will arrange someone to brings the slip to the lounge. Also HKG will issue all the bps so I'm only doing them a favour by signing it. Technically I don't even need to do this

I would be interested to know why FT-ers are doing same day turns in CMB- the best fares ex-CMB are gone, no.....??

correctioncx, I'll flick you a PM when I'm near a computer.