Getting out of HKG??!
 

**xpost in covid forum, hope that is ok**

Have tons of Asiamiles and want to use them before CX goes belly up--however, absolutely nothing out of HKG with OW.

I guess I have two noob questions for the experts here.

1. Can I book a cash ticket (specifically 2am Fridays flight on JAL) and then start my multi-carrier award travel. and/or
2. Is it possible to book a ticket on another airline (ANA, for example) and then start my multi carrier award in NRT (there is PLENTY of availability for my trip, basically, nrt-US-Europe-back to asia)

For both of the above scenarios, the problem is checked baggage. Can either of the above allow me to transfer/collect and check in my luggage, without 'entering' the country, because of covid. Is it 'more possible' in SIN, or BKK, or ICN?

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Lots of people trying to get out of HKG to Europe or America. Not only no award available on the few airlines that fly from HK, but cash fares are through the roof.

For example, in the coming days for a one way J ticket to Europe, the best deals are well over HKD30K, and usually 40k for the shortest routing.
I was thinking of doing HKG-SIN and then take QR for less than 10K in J, rather than QR from HKK for 40+. But to transit in SIN you need to be on same ticket. You could consider staying a day in SIN as VTL works from HK, but HK is moved from Country I.

Hard to see how you could start from Japan, given current entry restrictions, unless you are Japanese.

Also currently stuck in HKG. Need to leave in March, and the VTL option via Singapore seems to be the best bet. HK VTL start on 25 Feb, at which point all SQ and Scoot flights become VTL flights.

I have a related question - how the heck do we find out when cathay actually flies? If I put a specific date in the website, (a date when expert flyer says there is a flight) then it says there is no flight. But there is no option to see a month of days and find out where the flights are - the onlly way I can find is to ring up customer services but that's just horrible when I am trying to plan an escape via various routes and noodle things out!

They fly like once a month. There is a schedule somewhere on the website.

Actually, your best bet might be a short hop to BKK (even in Y you would survive), stay there a couple of days and then fly from there practically all over the world at affordable pricing. Return to HKG would be challenging, though.

According Expertflyer, 10 options over 5 days, all direct flights at affordable pricing. Include one-stop and/or higher pricing, and you get to nearly 100 (though some with a 40h travel time).

See my earlier post about BKK transit. Entry into Thailand does have roughly the same complications.

Of course, the above assumes you are fully vaccinated with a booster and have the departure PCR test option. Ignore any of these and you are out of options.

HK-Thailand (BKK or HKT) flights are cheap. It's easy to get into Thailand. Thailand-other places flights are cheap.

The schedule is available here: https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_...e-fly-now.html

Yep, I am seeing that. Stinks cause NRT has loads of avail for J on JAL to the US.

I wonder, though, if I book the cash flight (Y, of course, one poster is absolutely right about the high prices) on JAL, and already have my multi-carrier round the world flight ticket already booked starting and ending in NRT--the first flight is JAL to ORD or DFW--would they be able to check my bags all the way through to ORD of DFW on different tickets? Then I wouldn't have to 'enter' Japan. I can worry about NRT to HKG in June to get back home, hopefully after some of the fires are put out here/Japan reopens a bit, etc.

I'll check out the post, thanks Cambo. HKG to BKK is certainly the cheapest, asn yes Y for sure for the exiting HKG leg. I did see, though that I'd have to spend five days in BKK under this scheme? haha woe is me, have to spend time in one of the best places in the world, but the trip out is one that is slightly time sensitive, etc...but I guess the main sticking point with BKK is that it doesn't have nearly the same connectivity/award ticket OW avail that Singapore or NRT does. As in zero-ish. And I'd really like to spend those AM as Cathay is certainly not long for the world.

For actual Cathay the answer might be 'they don't' at least from Hong Kong, haven't seen any. JAL does, though, OW member. Wednesdays, Sundays, and starting march 4, friday early mornings. The Wednesday and Sunday flights are too late for connections, though :(

I'll see what I can find out about Singapore, good idea, thanks. Is it possible to just stay one day under VTL? But good idea, haven't looked too hard there. Scoot just got on HK's banned list for 2 weeks, Sing Air has been for a bit now.. Applies to arrivals in HK, but not sure how willing they would be to fly to HKG empty, not sure a lot of cargo comes from Sin to hkg

Same day transit in BKK is possible, though this is subject to "rules", where not all airline combo's are allowed for transit. Your flights need to be all on one "ticket", though it is left in the dark (as usual with this), whether the one ticket refers to really one ticket, or one PNR. Upfront verification with the airline (the metal) you fly out of HKG, whether they allow you to check-in/board for their flight is needed. Don't take general statements for granted, get firm statements, if needed, escalate.

You might be able to get a ticket with, for example LH or AY, to obtain a ticket HKG-(Y)-BKK-(J)-(FRA|MUC|HEL)-where-ever-you-go. You won't be able to book that online, though often the airline support desk may be able to book this for you. Always try to get a flight number for the HKG-BKK leg on the airline stock, you fly out of BKK. The factual metal for HKG-BKK won't matter (only for the amount of cabin luggage, mind you, about that !).

Where most people will tell you, that "flying" is not possible (in Asia), that's (bar some exceptions) wrong, just take care to carefully read the instructions for each country, and you'll be able to find solutions. Even solutions that won't cost you a fortune. I've been flying in the past 2 years, without having to pay an extraordinary amount for that, though it needs flexibility, ingenuity and adhering to the rules. And then, it works.

Use ExpertFlyer, Matrix and FR24 to dig deep into the options and get an impression about schedule reliability for each airline/legs. Be aware, airline helpdesks are of no help, in these times, to find solutions. Only when you have your own solutions, they can dive into their systems to book for you.

Copy that, appreciate the advice Cambo. Still going to keep trying for that Asia-US-Europe OW multi I'm trying to get. Just gotta get outta HK!! Thanks for the help.

Just fly to Bangkok first
 

The best way is to fly to Bangkok first and spend a day or two there. Test & Go is a simple enough program for everyone to follow.
Then just book a J ticket from BKK to wherever you want to go. There are plenty of good J class deal from BKK to Europe/US.

If you fly out from HK, Qatar is really $$$ even in March, but Turkish Airlines seems to have plenty of space available. They offer one stop flight to most of Europe/North America.

I will advise against separate tickets because rules keep on changing.

Carfield