Last edit by: kaka
as long as one has an intention to fly and has a long(%) transit immd is not gonna take you to court for going for a shower and some food after getting off a flight that arrives at 5am (or whenever your flight is).
However, dont expect you can be taken care of quickly if you need to get out before 10am during the morning bank of flights.
No comments for other reasons for using the lounge and back out - do at your own risks.
(%)- assuming you spend min 2 hours in lounge (spare more time for getting out in the morning) after arrivals to shower, eat, and wait for staff to walk you out + returning 1 hours before flight + 1.5 hours for the 2-way airport express trip, you’re looking at killing 6 hours before you can do anything in town. YMMV.
However, dont expect you can be taken care of quickly if you need to get out before 10am during the morning bank of flights.
No comments for other reasons for using the lounge and back out - do at your own risks.
(%)- assuming you spend min 2 hours in lounge (spare more time for getting out in the morning) after arrivals to shower, eat, and wait for staff to walk you out + returning 1 hours before flight + 1.5 hours for the 2-way airport express trip, you’re looking at killing 6 hours before you can do anything in town. YMMV.
HKG: Exiting the airport after going to the lounge
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: BA Gold, KrisFlyer Elite Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 64
Any recent experiences about going airside and back landside?
Arrived on CX from CGK this morning in HKG, got a flight HKG-TPE (CX) but also HKG-LHR (BA) this evening. Was not able to get the BA boarding pass online but already had the one to TPE. As I didn't want to hang around in transfer areas for about 10 hours (as BA had no staff available until about 3 hours before my flight is departing), I made it to CX's The Pier First lounge (with the HKG-TPE boarding pass) to get some work done (well and get some food as well).
Now my idea was going back landside to do the check-in with BA which seems a bit tricky. Any other suggestions on what to do to get the boarding pass for tonight's flight without causing any trouble? Thanks!
Arrived on CX from CGK this morning in HKG, got a flight HKG-TPE (CX) but also HKG-LHR (BA) this evening. Was not able to get the BA boarding pass online but already had the one to TPE. As I didn't want to hang around in transfer areas for about 10 hours (as BA had no staff available until about 3 hours before my flight is departing), I made it to CX's The Pier First lounge (with the HKG-TPE boarding pass) to get some work done (well and get some food as well).
Now my idea was going back landside to do the check-in with BA which seems a bit tricky. Any other suggestions on what to do to get the boarding pass for tonight's flight without causing any trouble? Thanks!
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Here
Programs: HHonors Diamond, AA EXP
Posts: 1,496
Any recent experiences especially after the closure of arrivals lounge? Will try this tomorrow and report back.
#3
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ORD [formerly] + HKG
Programs: CX Diamond, AA exExPlat, BAEC exGold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Starriott Titanium, GE
Posts: 2,966
Last week I went back to landside from the Wing F during an F-J long transit - a little bit of a lecture at first, but no questions asked much so. Took around 1 hour from making the request to the arrival hall
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NCL
Programs: UA 1MM/*G. DL Gold for one more year.
Posts: 5,305
19-hour layover at HKG — can I have breakfast in lounge before exiting?
I have a reservation that will bring me from SYD to HKG at 5 AM, continuing to Europe just after midnight. I have a day room booked at an airport hotel, with a 9 AM check-in. Assuming that I will be checked in straight through to Europe in SYD, is it possible to start the morning as a transit passenger in the terminal, and have breakfast in the lounge, and then exit through immigration and head for my day room?
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Falkirk, Scotland,VS Red, BA Gold, HH Diamond,UK Amex Plat
Programs: Master of the Privy Purse des Muccis
Posts: 17,916
Hi,
Reports here say it could be done but it can take a while ( effectively you have to be escorted towards immigration),.
Assuming it is CX from Australia, bags will be checked through to your european destination
Regards
TBS
Reports here say it could be done but it can take a while ( effectively you have to be escorted towards immigration),.
Assuming it is CX from Australia, bags will be checked through to your european destination
Regards
TBS
#6
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: San Francisco , CA
Programs: Marco Polo Club; Asia Miles
Posts: 208
Sorry Pal, that's not possible to access lounge from the arrival level unless you enter the departure level after clearing security which means you won't be able exit the airport from the departure level once you enter unless you got arrested for something. And sorry to say the arrival lounge has been closed since last year which is kind of sad.
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,041
Sorry Pal, that's not possible to access lounge from the arrival level unless you enter the departure level after clearing security which means you won't be able exit the airport from the departure level once you enter unless you got arrested for something. And sorry to say the arrival lounge has been closed since last year which is kind of sad.
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NCL
Programs: UA 1MM/*G. DL Gold for one more year.
Posts: 5,305
Thanks and apologies for repeating an old question. Could you explain the process for requesting an escort to arrivals, or direct me to a thread that does?
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,041
1. if you browse the first 3 pages of both this forum and the HK forum, you should be able to find relevant threads
2. the "process" honestly just entails asking a lounge person to escort you out, and then getting a clearance from immigration
3. since the value of the breakfast is worth less than the time/money wasted on helping you leave, I strongly advise you to give up on this plan
#10
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NCL
Programs: UA 1MM/*G. DL Gold for one more year.
Posts: 5,305
I'm posting from my phone now, so searching threads is not convenient, but following are my thoughts:
1. if you browse the first 3 pages of both this forum and the HK forum, you should be able to find relevant threads
2. the "process" honestly just entails asking a lounge person to escort you out, and then getting a clearance from immigration
3. since the value of the breakfast is worth less than the time/money wasted on helping you leave, I strongly advise you to give up on this plan
1. if you browse the first 3 pages of both this forum and the HK forum, you should be able to find relevant threads
2. the "process" honestly just entails asking a lounge person to escort you out, and then getting a clearance from immigration
3. since the value of the breakfast is worth less than the time/money wasted on helping you leave, I strongly advise you to give up on this plan
#11
Join Date: Dec 2017
Programs: Cathay, JGC
Posts: 72
How about a quick shower at the complimentary shower facility once you land and then going through immigration to get into the city on the airport express? Get some breakfast, walk around for a bit, that's 4 hours well spent. Might not suggest it for other cities but, airport express is just so ridiculously convenient you can get to and from the city in about 48 minutes (24 minutes each way!). Happy travelling!
#12
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Thailand
Programs: BA Silver (OWS), OZ Diamond (*G), TK Elite (*G), HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 361
How about a quick shower at the complimentary shower facility once you land and then going through immigration to get into the city on the airport express? Get some breakfast, walk around for a bit, that's 4 hours well spent. Might not suggest it for other cities but, airport express is just so ridiculously convenient you can get to and from the city in about 48 minutes (24 minutes each way!). Happy travelling!
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: None any more
Posts: 11,017
These: Complimentary Shower Facilities, Airport Facilities & Services - Hong Kong International Airport
I understand that you either need to bring your own towel or purchase a simple one from a vending machine there.
I understand that you either need to bring your own towel or purchase a simple one from a vending machine there.
#14
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: a hotel room, somewhere...
Posts: 962
as much as i like CX, i cannot stand the attitude of the greeters at the HKG lounges. everyone else in the lounges is great; but the girls all have this homecoming queen vibe that seems to miss the mark in terms of the reality of their position. i got nothing but attitude like i was asking the world when i arrived and expressed my plan to shower then head into the city. the girl finally got past the gravity of my request (hey- i didn't close the arrivals lounge) and told me to come back when i'm ready to go and someone will escort me. so i do that and then i'm told it could be a couple of hours to find staff. ... didn't you tell me that when i arrived? ugh. it's been 90 minutes and, hence, enough time to find this thread. my window to leave is closing and, well, i'm venting. all the while the 2 of them stand there playing with their phones doing a job that requires only 1 person (or an above average chimp who happens to look good in CX colours).
#15
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
as much as i like CX, i cannot stand the attitude of the greeters at the HKG lounges. everyone else in the lounges is great; but the girls all have this homecoming queen vibe that seems to miss the mark in terms of the reality of their position. i got nothing but attitude like i was asking the world when i arrived and expressed my plan to shower then head into the city. the girl finally got past the gravity of my request (hey- i didn't close the arrivals lounge) and told me to come back when i'm ready to go and someone will escort me. so i do that and then i'm told it could be a couple of hours to find staff. ... didn't you tell me that when i arrived? ugh. it's been 90 minutes and, hence, enough time to find this thread. my window to leave is closing and, well, i'm venting. all the while the 2 of them stand there playing with their phones doing a job that requires only 1 person (or an above average chimp who happens to look good in CX colours).
If CX really wanted to play the correct way, they are supposed to call security if they know for certain you've entered without intent to fly...which you basically said to them. But of course they're in a pickle, because you're paying customer, and in practice this rarely happens and would get them a lot of negative publicity. But just a heads up you said the thing that probably earned you the longest possible delay.
The airport authority has been aware for years the practice of passengers entering airside without the intent to fly, and then exiting immigration. Of course, the problem is there are legitimate reasons people would intend to fly, but then have to leave: emergencies, etc. So HKIA cannot fully curtail the process, or at least they haven't found a way yet. What sucks is their practice is now to essentially delay everybody. Some reports on here say as long as 60-90 minutes, although other folks report faster.