Quick transit at Xiamen Airport
 

Hello fellow FTer’s,

Wondering if anyone had the experience to do a quick transit at Xiamen taking the return flight back to HKG right away. This is for mileage run.

For example below:

CX978 1745/1915
CX979 2025/2200

Would there be any issues on doing this at XMN and is transfer there easy - simply just go to the transfer area and head up to departures?

Thanks all!

I have had three same-day returns pre-COVID. It has been hit-and-miss whether I get back on the same plane for the turnaround. The purpose of each trip was to go landside, to sign or deliver a document, and then to hop back on the plane for the turnaround.

One time, I was successful; twice, I was not. On these two occasions:

• one was when the HKG-XMN flight was delayed arrival, but when I got to the check-in counter to check in for the return flight, the counter had closed. In the pre-COVID days, Dragonair had more than one daily flight to Xiamen, so I would need to wait for the next departure.
• one was when the HKG-XMN flight was on-time arrival, but I ran into a long line up at immigration, and the check-in counter had closed for the return flight.

I believe that you do have to go through immigration upon arrival in Xiamen. I never did see any transit counter where I could just get back to airside without going through immigration.

I would not want to attempt a same-plane turnaround now, since CX is only once-daily for most days of the week, and I would not want to get stuck overnighting.

Are there separate queues between passport holders and home return permit holders? I assume you have a home return permit right?

I have both.

Pre-Covid experience below:

XMN turnaround requires MAAS (meet and assistance), local ground crew will help you through the process but you need to go through CIQ (custom, immigration, quarantine) check for arrival and then return from landside and do CIQ again.

Process is:
Arrival Quarantine
Arrival Immigration
Arrival Custom
Landside
Go upstairs
Departure Quarantine
Departure Custom
Get boarding pass - they will print it before gate close so with MAAS you can get it even if you are late
Departure Immigration

i suggest you giving CX XMN a call and ask, I think it is possible again now as the process almost return to normal except for the black code part

I had such an experience before covid since the ticket to JP at that time was super cheap. The ground will be waiting for you at the gate and assist the transit when you arrive XMN. However, you must check in the onward flight in HKG as well. It was a bit rush. Now I do CAN instead as the ticket price ex-CAN to KL/BKK are quite attractive. I take speedrail to GZ East then MRT to the airport. Quite smooth so far.

Your "transit" meaning that you did not have to go through Arrival Immigration and Customs, and the Departure Immigration again??? Did the staff at the gate take you through a special channel?

You need to pass through immigration but they can accompany you to a priority lane.

I seem to remember this too when I did an int’l transfer on Xiamen Airlines too…pre COVID mind

Does anyone have any recent experience in a same day turnaround in Xiamen? This is for a mileage run:

HKG - XMN
CX970 - 9:30AM - 11:05AM

XMN - HKG
CX973 - 12:15PM - 2:00PM

Any recent experience?
Thinking about booking SGN-XMN on MF and XMN-ICN-KIX on KE, two separate tickets, only 90 minutes to connect.
Probably not enough time if I have to enter? I don't have a visa (but I should be eligible for visa on arrival).

It is extremely risky to do short transfers within China. If you can't use the e-gates, dont even think about it. Even if you can, you'll need to go to the check-in counter to get your boarding pass. It would involve a mad dash to immigration then check-in then security. Security isnt that efficeint at XMN airport. They'll look at your BP a few times during the process and are quite detailed oriented. 90 mins is probable but I won't go for it.

It is not as bad as a b2b though which only gives you 60 minutes and will require a staff escort.

Thanks. There's only a CNY 1,000 cancellation fee for the KE ticket. And there's an MF flight to KIX 30 minutes later.
I think I'll try my luck with the KE flight - worst case I'll have to buy a last minute MF ticket. :D