absoluy

Is it possible to carry larger than 100ml liquids (e.g water bottles) onto US bound flights from HKG?

I understand you can’t bring these through the main/transit airport security checkpoints, but in most airports if you purchase a liquid (like a water bottle) after security you’re ok to bring it onboard. In hkg I remember a few bottles of water being confiscated from me a few years ago when flying to the US and was wondering if this is still the practice (/the norm).

wenbin85

I think they still do the security check. I stop bringing water bottles after mine was confiscated a few years ago so I think it's better to avoid just to be safe.

synthkeys

There is no longer a liquid check at the gate for US bound flights. It's been gone for nearly a year now. Currently there is enhanced security screening at the gate before boarding passes are scanned for entry. This consists of a brief interview where the agent asks a few questions like "Where did stay during your time here?", "Did you pack your bags yourself?", "Did anyone give you something to take aboard the airplane", etc. The interview takes a minute or less and the agent affixes a small sticker on the back of your passport.

Currently you can take those water bottles and other liquids on board with you.

andersonCooper

This is correct, but SSSS is still subject to secondary bag search. I think shops still ask where's your destinations.

synthkeys

Yes, SSSS does. I did get unlucky and score SSSS after they removed the secondary search but I don't think I had any liquids with me. So I got the typical SSSS swabbing down, remove shoes, etc on the jetway. If you're going to get SSSS, I'd rather HKG than anywhere else. I've gotten it 3 or 4 times so far. HKG security is very quick about it Still not fun but a lot better than other places.

andersonCooper

Absolutely. All of my SSSS so far are from CX flights but SSSS in domestic flights are just extremely inefficient and tedious.

Nazdoom

If you think HKG is good, try Mainland China!

SSSS flying CX F HKG-BOS circa 2017: nothing different at security, got to gate late with huge line from the jetway out to gate agent of people waiting to be searched, got escorted to the front of the long line, took exactly 3 mins and given a seat to sit and wait while taking off my flip flops so they could swab them / answer a couple questions about what this or that was they were pulling out from my bag. Quite pleasant but I felt bad for the people waiting in that long line.

SSSS flying HU J PVG-SEA this year: nothing different at security, a gate agent noticed during boarding and told me to talk to some uniformed security guards, I went over and handed my BP and they asked what I wanted, I pointed out the SSSS and one of them swirled the metal detector around me for 3 seconds and said ok bye bye (I'm not sure it was even on).

I'm hit with SSSS IMO because of last minute one-way award tickets into the US as a foreigner. Luckily more and more carriers take your TSA PreChek number which largely prevents that. Not that it matters in China.

kaka

traveler18

I wanted two purchase two bottles of wine on a recent flight HKG to LAX. Duty free store saleslady informed me that security allows only one bottle to be carried on flight to US.
I had the one bottle on the see-through duty free bag and the interviewer at security did not ask anything about it.

I could have purchased two and place them in my carry on and no one would have checked. But if the regulation is one, I go by the regulation.
(but if you need a bottle of water - I assume it should not be an issue, and if it is, then low risk, you leave the bottle)

Frankly - almost anything at the duty free stores can be purchased in the US for less or similar prices.
I needed to replace a high end Braun shaver. It was close to $500 at the duty free. I ordered from Amazon pre-boarding and it had been delivered in the US before I landed - for $230

Cambo

Yeah, apart from the kick to have purchased something "without" tax (but with extremely increased profit margin for the vendor), there aren't many reasons to purchase at duty free stores.

Some 25 years ago, I got "stopped" by plain cloth custom officers for carrying a nearly brand new laptop, when -nearly legit- passing the employee gates at a major EU airport. I got accused to have purchased the thing "duty free", etc. It did take them a while to understand, I am not the idiot who thinks it's cheaper to purchase "duty free", than as a company (with VAT reclaim) from a major local outlet in the country, etc. Only after some 15-20 minutes the coin dropped, they were making a fool out of themselves, I got "instructed" to move on and "warned" that I should always carry the relevant invoice, etc. Being the nasty me, I kept on nagging them with all kinds of friendly questions.........

:D!

And this doesn't even apply in HK because there are no sales taxes anyway. The only things which are truly "duty free" in HKIA are tobacco and, as I understand, spirits with ABV of 30%+.