SLGO

OT a bit... anyone knows if such turnaround in XMN is feasible?

Fly Me To The Moon

Technically, yes. But, I would not plan on it always succeeding.

Last year, I had about half a dozen trips to XMN where I just needed to sign some papers at the airport, and then turnaround back to HKG on the same day. So, I would book the outbound HKG-XMN on KA 618 (ETA 11:00) and then the turnaround on KA 603 (ETD 15:05). This is NOT a same-plane return.

Twice, I had the good luck that KA 618 arrived early, and I was able to go through immigration and customs, sign my docs, and then head back to the departure hall when the counters were not closed yet for the KA 619 XMN-HKG (ETD 12:05) service. KA 619 is the same-plane turnaround for KA 618. I think the check in for KA 619 closes at 11:20 or 11:25. I would then ask the check-in staff whether I could switch my flight from KA 603 to the earlier KA 619. Since my tickets were always rebookable without fee, the check-in staff would let me do it. One time, I even got upgraded to J (I am MPC Diamond).

SLGO

Thanks for sharing your experience. Would it be possible NOT to go through immigration and custom and do the same-plane return? I wonder if it is possible to have the boarding pass issues during check in in HKG.

moondog

You might be able to get a BP for the return flight in HK, but I'm not sure how you'd get the (required) immigration stamp on it without going through immigration.

Fly Me To The Moon

I think it is a must that you have to go through immigration to get the stamp on the BP.

SLGO

Is it a must to have the BP stamped in XMN? What if one has a mobile BP only

moondog

You can print out a paper BP there if needed.

brunos

I flew from XMN twice in the past three months (in J and Y). I could not print a BP, had to go to counter. Could checkin by internet but not issue a BP.

Fly Me To The Moon

I didn't know you could get a mobile BP for XMN-HKG flights on KA??!!

patrickw

To my understanding there is simply no airside transit at XMN, meaning you will have to clear immigration and customs just like normal arriving passengers and depart again.

If you check at airport information page at Cathay's website, you will notice they advise international transit passengers to clear immigration, collect bags and check in again for the connecting flights at XMN. For you it will be arrival immigration then departure immigration and security check.

moondog

That's probably a good thing; even if the stamp didn't wound his phone, chopping off the portion of the BP that immigration needs to retain for its records would render it a total loss

SLGO

Thanks for explaining. Had no idea if a short time turnover at XMN is feasible. Seems like it is not as easy as the case in TPE.

brunos

It is frustrating because XMN mixes arriving and departing pax. So it appears that you could simply disembark and wait there.
But the stamped boarding pass prevents it. To get BP you need to go to checkin counter and then get it stamped through immigration. And KA usually lands at the end of the airport (near the lounge), so a long walk back and forth. It's impossible to get to checkin counter before the flight closes (40 min).

kaka

you wont be able to go through.

is xmn one of the ports that allow e-bp?

kaka

nothing in china is as easy as the rest of the world. It is best to let that country rot