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In Town Check In For US Flights suspended from 26 Oct

In Town Check In For US Flights suspended from 26 Oct

Old May 3, 2018, 6:34 pm
  #76  
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Last edited by christep; May 4, 2018 at 1:41 am Reason: Clarified by QRC3288's subsequent posting
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Old May 3, 2018, 7:07 pm
  #77  
 
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Well thank you all for this information. I will check back as I get closer. I know the class of service doesn't make any difference but I have been flamed many times over the years on FT for not providing all flight details.

I will also say I don't appreciate all the negative comments about the USA. I could sink to your level and make the same kind of comments about your countries but I don't think that is the positive purpose of FT.
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Old May 3, 2018, 7:14 pm
  #78  
 
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Originally Posted by jmj9905
Well thank you all for this information. I will check back as I get closer. I know the class of service doesn't make any difference but I have been flamed many times over the years on FT for not providing all flight details.

I will also say I don't appreciate all the negative comments about the USA. I could sink to your level and make the same kind of comments about your countries but I don't think that is the positive purpose of FT.
I am actually American. But living abroad. And the US deserves all the criticism it gets about this situation. "My country" is indeed the USA.

To fully describe what happened is mind-boggling (and quite sad, to this American who loves his country), but I am not saying this just out of thin air. I had a front row seat to some of this in action; two companies I am very closely aligned with are suffice to say "very interested parties" in this legislation. To sum up a long story, your inability to use the Airport Express flying to the USA on Cathay but not other carriers is a 3 degree removed byproduct of the decision to impose the laptop-in-cabin-compartment ban on ME Airlines last year. Many of you will recall how laptops and large electronic devices were forced into the cargo hold on certain airlines. Against vehement (and accurate) industry claims that lithium batteries were a huge risk in the cargo hold, this policy was mind-bogglingly still implemented. I am still in shock they proceeded with that given how that decision demonstrably made flights less safe. It then became obvious the FAA was going to contradict the administration and recommend no laptops in the cargo hold, so some face saving was needed. Foreign carriers were rounded up arbitrarily and told to implement these new procedures - dreamt up I kid you not in less than 24 hours - which include your "interview" at the airport. I fly to the US at least 6, as many as 12 times a year. I've done this interview a number of times now. This "interview" you'll have at the airport as mandated by the TSA is pure security theater. Not to mention a waste of money and time. Compare it to Israel, where I also fly once in a while. Now that's a real interview over there, and real security. It can take a helluva of a long time but I indeed feel like they're accomplishing the goals of security. This thing at CX in Hong Kong mandated by the TSA is pretty much the polar opposite of substance.

It was supposed to be implemented on all airlines. Some airlines signed up. But now, it appears actually it's just going to be randomly implemented to some airlines and not others. None of the US carriers have it (....subsidies come in all forms, and the hypocrisy of US big 3 airlines is hilarious), Cathay does, and some but not all foreign carriers do. It's a mess. And it's embarrassing.

Anyway, I realize my curt few lines didn't summarize that. But I saw the policy get made. It was madness and very third-world. I agree there is a positive purpose to FT, but FT is also about being a frequent flier and difficulties. I flew to the US last year 13 times. Implementing this policy genuinely has a small but real impact on me. It's a shame when something wastes your time, there's no way to get out of it, you know it's a sham, you know the lack of thinking behind the implementation, but you still have to do it. Aka "it was better before".

Last edited by QRC3288; May 3, 2018 at 7:25 pm Reason: Added last paragraph.
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Old May 3, 2018, 7:32 pm
  #79  
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Back to FT, have you considered flying other options then? Or... how did you find the other options you took?
Originally Posted by QRC3288
I am actually American. But living abroad. And the US deserves all the criticism it gets about this situation. "My country" is indeed the USA.

To fully describe what happened is mind-boggling (and quite sad, to this American who loves his country), but I am not saying this just out of thin air. I had a front row seat to some of this in action; two companies I am very closely aligned with are suffice to say "very interested parties" in this legislation. To sum up a long story, your inability to use the Airport Express flying to the USA on Cathay but not other carriers is a 3 degree removed byproduct of the decision to impose the laptop-in-cabin-compartment ban on ME Airlines last year. Many of you will recall how laptops and large electronic devices were forced into the cargo hold on certain airlines. Against vehement (and accurate) industry claims that lithium batteries were a huge risk in the cargo hold, this policy was mind-bogglingly still implemented. I am still in shock they proceeded with that given how that decision demonstrably made flights less safe. It then became obvious the FAA was going to contradict the administration and recommend no laptops in the cargo hold, so some face saving was needed. Foreign carriers were rounded up arbitrarily and told to implement these new procedures - dreamt up I kid you not in less than 24 hours - which include your "interview" at the airport. I fly to the US at least 6, as many as 12 times a year. I've done this interview a number of times now. This "interview" you'll have at the airport as mandated by the TSA is pure security theater. Not to mention a waste of money and time. Compare it to Israel, where I also fly once in a while. Now that's a real interview over there, and real security. It can take a helluva of a long time but I indeed feel like they're accomplishing the goals of security. This thing at CX in Hong Kong mandated by the TSA is pretty much the polar opposite of substance.

It was supposed to be implemented on all airlines. Some airlines signed up. But now, it appears actually it's just going to be randomly implemented to some airlines and not others. None of the US carriers have it (....subsidies come in all forms, and the hypocrisy of US big 3 airlines is hilarious), Cathay does, and some but not all foreign carriers do. It's a mess. And it's embarrassing.

Anyway, I realize my curt few lines didn't summarize that. But I saw the policy get made. It was madness and very third-world. I agree there is a positive purpose to FT, but FT is also about being a frequent flier and difficulties. I flew to the US last year 13 times. Implementing this policy genuinely has a small but real impact on me. It's a shame when something wastes your time, there's no way to get out of it, you know it's a sham, you know the lack of thinking behind the implementation, but you still have to do it. Aka "it was better before".
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Old May 3, 2018, 7:39 pm
  #80  
 
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QRC3288
While I certainly don't fly any where near as much as you do. I have been volunteering in the Philippines for 15 years and usually fly through HKG. So while I understand your issues I remember 9/11 and many incidents after that. It's interesting to me that you chose to ignore the fact that the president of china has trashed their constitution and made himself president for life ala Mao Tse Tung (excuse the spelling). Seems to me that's a more substantive issue than what you call "dumb" security issues.

YMMV
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Old May 3, 2018, 7:46 pm
  #81  
 
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Originally Posted by kaka
Back to FT, have you considered flying other options then? Or... how did you find the other options you took?

Yea, I have. Those flights weren't all CX. Nonstop from HKG i flew SQ, I do this a few times a year regardless as they have a SFO nonstop. I also flew JL a few times to the US last year and they don't do the interview thing, although it's not apples to apples since I'm obviously in Tokyo. They're excellent. Even though JLs F seat isn't as wide as CX's at the shoulders, the mattress pad doesn't go to my feet and I prefer CX bedding (I realize this sounds like a lot), overall I still sleep great and it's nice to a) have no risk of talking in galley and b) far superior F & B. I don't fly to Tokyo explicitly to use them, but I have enough business there it's easy to "make it work". I also flew EK, but that's really not apples and oranges.

I don't know how CX extricates itself from this silly policy, but from what I hear it's not going to be implemented to all airlines as initially advertised after all, and it seems the push has stopped. So for this small piece of the expetience, CX is sitting on a uncompetitive product offering compared to some competition that doesn't have to do it. I hope they can end it but I'm not optimistic.
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Old May 3, 2018, 7:55 pm
  #82  
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Personally, I do not mind the security interview as I have found out that once they saw I have so many of their 'stickers' on the back of my passport, they just ask the most basic questions and the entire 'interview' is hilarious (if you speak cantonese - all I say is 'mo, mo, mo')

The only sad thing is we can't check in at the 'white zone' anymore, although sometimes theres a bit of a wait as there's only one counter for F (shared by 884 and 870 when I fly 806) but again quite minor in the grand scheme of things.

What I mean is this doesn't stop me from flying CX lol. And OP shouldn't really have to worry about it - it's not as inconvenient as you envision!
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Old May 3, 2018, 8:02 pm
  #83  
 
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Originally Posted by jmj9905
QRC3288
While I certainly don't fly any where near as much as you do. I have been volunteering in the Philippines for 15 years and usually fly through HKG. So while I understand your issues I remember 9/11 and many incidents after that. It's interesting to me that you chose to ignore the fact that the president of china has trashed their constitution and made himself president for life ala Mao Tse Tung (excuse the spelling). Seems to me that's a more substantive issue than what you call "dumb" security issues.

YMMV
Yikes mate. I'm not ignoring anything...this just isn't the proper forum for Chinese political opinions. I'm not going to wade in here. Suffice to say I obviously have plenty of my own political opinions that will go unshared here. Who knows maybe we even agree on things.

Just to correct your statement, I certainly didn't say I ignored Chinese politics, that's a rather misleading statement you've made and irrelevant regardless. I did happen to have a front row seat to the interview policy thing that is mandated on CX flying to the USA and that you asked about, and is subject of this thread.
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Old May 3, 2018, 8:07 pm
  #84  
 
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Well, I repeat your comments about the US government, in my opinion certainly put it in the political realm. You have your opinion and I have mine. Isn't democracy great.
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Old May 4, 2018, 1:49 am
  #85  
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Originally Posted by jmj9905
Well, I repeat your comments about the US government, in my opinion certainly put it in the political realm. You have your opinion and I have mine. Isn't democracy great.
sounds great but that bloke u mentioned is not the president of china.

ANYWAYS!
the JL F to USA is great, of course it's not nonstop but i personally do not find anything i would really miss that CX provides. you get a better/wider bed, but most other things is better w JL (FnB, service, galley-talking/professionalism). IFE you could easily bring your own at this time and age - but CX do have newer movies that wouldnt be on netflix/amazon nor JL.
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Old May 4, 2018, 6:32 am
  #86  
 
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Originally Posted by G-CIVC
Personally, I do not mind the security interview as I have found out that once they saw I have so many of their 'stickers' on the back of my passport, they just ask the most basic questions and the entire 'interview' is hilarious (if you speak cantonese - all I say is 'mo, mo, mo')

The only sad thing is we can't check in at the 'white zone' anymore, although sometimes theres a bit of a wait as there's only one counter for F (shared by 884 and 870 when I fly 806) but again quite minor in the grand scheme of things.

What I mean is this doesn't stop me from flying CX lol. And OP shouldn't really have to worry about it - it's not as inconvenient as you envision!
I wish the "mo mo mo" worked for me lol
Last time a middle age man interviewed me, longer than my actual immigration interview after landed:
1)What's your purpose of the trip?
2)Show me your printed itin (I was like "????")
3)Did you pack your bag yourself? Any batteries in your bag? any knife and weapons? (showing a graph) Any liquid or weapons in your carry-on?
4)How long did you stay in HK? What did you do?
etc etc

[Moderator feel free to delete the questions]

More annoying than the Europe interviews I had IMO.

While the CPB officer was totally chill and "welcome back and have a good night".

But I 100% agree with the inconvenience is minimal and does not prevent me from flying CX.

Last edited by andersonCooper; May 4, 2018 at 6:38 am
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Old May 4, 2018, 8:25 am
  #87  
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Originally Posted by andersonCooper
I wish the "mo mo mo" worked for me lol
Last time a middle age man interviewed me, longer than my actual immigration interview after landed:
1)What's your purpose of the trip?
2)Show me your printed itin (I was like "????")
3)Did you pack your bag yourself? Any batteries in your bag? any knife and weapons? (showing a graph) Any liquid or weapons in your carry-on?
4)How long did you stay in HK? What did you do?
etc etc

[Moderator feel free to delete the questions]

More annoying than the Europe interviews I had IMO.

While the CPB officer was totally chill and "welcome back and have a good night".

But I 100% agree with the inconvenience is minimal and does not prevent me from flying CX.
well they already asked all the q cpb wanted to ask
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Old May 4, 2018, 8:31 am
  #88  
 
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Originally Posted by jmj9905
QRC3288
While I certainly don't fly any where near as much as you do. I have been volunteering in the Philippines for 15 years and usually fly through HKG. So while I understand your issues I remember 9/11 and many incidents after that. It's interesting to me that you chose to ignore the fact that the president of china has trashed their constitution and made himself president for life ala Mao Tse Tung (excuse the spelling). Seems to me that's a more substantive issue than what you call "dumb" security issues.

YMMV

We're talking about dumb travel policies from our current <insert negative adjective> administration. You just pulled in an unrelated political discussion that has nothing to do with the topic.
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Old May 4, 2018, 8:54 am
  #89  
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Originally Posted by nightkhan
We're talking about dumb travel policies from our current <insert negative adjective> administration. You just pulled in an unrelated political discussion that has nothing to do with the topic.
dumb travel policy have been there for quite a while.
when you have airports like hnd dont you wonder why u need to be at jfk 3 hrs befoee.
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Old May 4, 2018, 3:17 pm
  #90  
 
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Originally Posted by jmj9905
Well thank you all for this information. I will check back as I get closer. I know the class of service doesn't make any difference but I have been flamed many times over the years on FT for not providing all flight details.

I will also say I don't appreciate all the negative comments about the USA. I could sink to your level and make the same kind of comments about your countries but I don't think that is the positive purpose of FT.
They're all well deserved. We are a joke.
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