gudugan

I see Cathay Pacific has a codeshare with Austrian, but are you sure the bag will go through?
I found this document: https://www.cxagents.com/content/dam...I)_Summary.pdf
It suggests that CX will only interline with Austrian in HKG, DUS, FRA, ZRH.

Citizen-Kane

I am in the process of booking a flight to HKG via PVG with LH/CX in December. It will be a single ticket.

From what I have gathered from recent posts:

1. As I will have a single booking with LH/CX, my luggage will be checked through at MUC to HKG. I will not need to pick-up my luggage and check-in again at PVG.

2. I will not need to clear customs or immigration upon arrival in PVG. There is no need to do TWOV, even if I am eligible as a British citizen.

Are these correct? Years ago, I remember having to pick up my luggage to recheck in again during my transit.

The connection in PVG between LH and CX is only 2.5 hours i.e. arriving around 1630 and departing at 1900. Is this transit time sufficient from experience?

Thank you!

narvik

Can't answer your questions specifically, sorry.
What I can say, is that -generally speaking- transiting through a Chinese airport is not as smooth as it may be in other countries; I've read many complaints on here (although admittedly at PEK not PVG) from transit passengers.

I am also a little surprised about your routing: where many of us are desperate to find cheap[ish] flights to China and resorting to having to fly via other Asian airports (including HKG) to get to China; and here you are transiting via PVG to get to HKG???

plunet

In Europe we are starting to see the Chinese carriers discount indirect itineraries in Y via China, to Asia and Australia. I've seen £400ish to SEAsia and £600 to Australia. Direct flights to China from Europe can be found at near normal (pre-pandemic) price levels now, although there can still be a bit of a premium.

narvik

Oh, wow. I had no idea it's progressed that far already! nice one, and thanks for the info.

travelinmanS

Europe fares are pretty much back to normal with business class fares still trying to hang onto a bit of a premium. Nonetheless I already see the second tier Chinese airlines starting to eat into that premium as well e.g. Juneyao business class Pvg-Eu-Pvg is around $3k usd now.

This is what could also happen for us North Americans if the US DOT would do its job and protect passengers/consumers rather than the big 3’s profits.

IluvSQ

Yes, both are correct.
There is a transit lane in PVG which includes a passport check - sorry, it has been about 7 years since I did this transit and
I don't recall all details, but my family arrived with me and were connecting to a domestic flight while I connected to an
international flight. I recall accompanying them as far as passport control, and then entering a transit lane just past that.

moondog

I messaged my rep about this issue. Basically, the Chinese airlines competing with our guys benefits us. It's not our fault that DL retired its 777s or that AA can only swing DFW.

YuropFlyer

While there are certainly nicer places to transit through than Chinese airports, a pure international (incl HKG/Macao/TW) airside-transfer (no immigration involved) in like PEK or PVG isn't THAT bad, assuming a reasonable layover time (2 to maximum 4 hours)

I've done quite some of such connections prior to Covid, and I guess it's back to normal again now - yes, it's annoying to always have to pass through security, but that's the same thing at any airport across Asia I've been to, at least as much I can think of - it's more a European thing where airports/countries are trusting each other enough to have "clean arrivals" even long-distance, internationally.

What seems to have gotten worse over the last 10 years is how easy TWOV is granted (or in general, can be used) - also taking the TWOV thread into account, a 12-hour layover in China is something I might have suggested to do (especially if you've not been to the city or even China) in the past, but now, with the situation being harder to receive TWOV, I'd not suggest it anymore.

Funnily enough, for longer stays (several nights), TWOV is still very solid and reasonable easy to get compared to a visa, but for anything not involving a night layover at least, I can't recommend it anymore. (I guess the incident at PEK will stay a fairly unique case, where a fellow FTer had to fight to get TWOV over a 20-hours overnight layover)

FindingFoodFluency

Unless the pandemic quashed it, I thought that there are specific flights into Tokyo Narita (and perhaps other Japanese hubs) that didn't require another security check for intl to intl, but I can't recall which ones. I think right before the pandemic, flights from the U.S. didn't have to rescreen, as long as they connected to intl routes.

Source: https://www.narita-airport.jp/en/sec...connection_ss/ (n.b.the Japanese version is still vague, but hints that some flights don't need rescreening.)

As for China, definitely have to rescreen, regardless of starting point/destination. For a hint, if anyone carries 充电宝, err portable chargers, whip them out of your bag when passing through security (they must be in your carry-ons). Plus, I had to take out coins almost every time; that was a nuisance.

plunet

I've long since learnt to minimise friction at security in China it can be pragmatic to separate out any items that are dense, beyond the usual laptops, tablets, power banks and other batteries - including chargers, cables, metallic objects. YMMV.

travelinmanS

Chinese security checks are the worst. The only country where I often have to rescreen a bag two or three times. They'll sometimes, but not always, make you remove all cords from your laptop bag and screen it again. Also they wand everyone who goes through the metal detector since everyone beeps. This is, of course, after making you go through a security check/wanding just to enter the airport and if you take the subway or train to the airport to enter the subway/train station as well. Unfortunately it is the country I travel to/from the most so I get to experience this on almost a weekly basis.

YuropFlyer

That's not really China-specific. Last couple of travels I've had, I was ALWAYS asked at checkin to remove any powerbanks from checkin luggage - ANYWHERE.

Example, Zürich Airport:

https://www.flughafen-zuerich.ch/en/...security-check

Rechargeable batteries, standard batteries and power banks must be packed in your hand baggage. Batteries with a rating of over 160 watt-hours are not permitted in any baggage.

There is plenty of things that can be annoying specifically about Chinese airports/security there. Having to have powerbanks in carry-on is not unique to China.

gudugan

China is the only place that makes you pull out the powerbank out of the carryon in the security line. Everywhere else including ZRH you can just leave it in and sail through.

The other annoying thing about China is the Xray scan of checked bag right after you check it in. I had a lighter in my bag and their Xray scan picked it up so I had to throw it away. I've flown with that lighter for probably 20+ flights across many countries and no one cared.

boat stuck

Technically that lighter (assuming it contained liquid butane) probably violated the checked baggage rules of every single airline you flew on. Just because no one stopped you, doesn't mean it should have been allowed...