The subject of this thread is transfers between aa and ka, which have a transit arrangement in place. I fail to see how you can advise against this on the basis of your experience with dl to mu and vv.

Stupid Question on PVG Transits
 

Ok this will make me sound like a NOOB but I'm actually very confused with the transit procedues in PVG.

I am Singaporean (no need for visa), and have an APEC card (pre-cleared).

I am flying SIN-ICN via PVG, both flights on MU, making it an international-international transit. When I get to PVG, do I need to clear immigration and get my bags and re-check through for my PVG-ICN flight?

Thanks.

JL-AA transit in PVG
 

Apologies if this information has already been posted; I couldn't find an answer to this specific transit question.

I'm arriving on JL897 at 17:05 from KIX and departing the same day for LAX at 21:35 on AA182. Will I be able to transit airside or will I have to go through the immigration-customs-bag drop-security routine? Has anyone done a transit between these two airlines recently and, if so, could you please describe the experience?

It appears that JL arrives at T1 and AA departs from T2, so I'm thinking that I have to enter and exit China at PVG. Sigh...

Yes. Very few people use JL for transit purposes in Shanghai, so they've stuck things out in T1.

5 hr layover in Shanghai questions
 

Will be travelling ORD-PVG-MEL in July and had some questions I'm hoping I might get answered here:

1. ORD-PVG is on UA; PVG-MEL is on CA (China Air) - will luggage be checked all the way from ORD to MEL? ie. no need to re-check in PVG?

2. Is 5 hour layover in PVG long enough to get out of airport and see some things or at least take the MagLev? I arrive at 1:55 pm on a Thursday. How complicated /time consuming going beyond the MagLev station at city end of line from airport? What would be do-able in that time? I don't speak Chinese and is first visit to Shanghai (have been to Beijing a few times). Looks like I do not need a visa given transit time and onward reservation, right?

3. Is Star Alliance lounge at PVG as bad as it's reputed? I will be in UA F inbound and CA first outbound.

Thanks in advance!

Variations of your questions have been asked (and answered) many times before here though I can't recall ever seeing five hours as the duration of the layover. That is a bit too short to do anything really interesting but far too long to stick around at the airport. As such consider manglev plus line 2 to ljz and head for the binjiang park, which is opposite the bund. There are a few coffee shops there, a paulaner, and a hooters across the street. If you'd rather see shanghai from the top of a tall building ljz is also the place for doing so. But I think sticking with the park plan is probably the way to go if it's not raining.

Thanks for that. Anybody know if UA will check bags through to final (MEL) as the ORD to PVG segment is on UA and the PVG to MEL is on CA? i.e. fo I have to collect and re-check bags in PVG?

I believe you're gonna have to re-check in PVG.

I would have thought it could be checked all the way through - but you will need check that with UA.YES - probably worse - indeed it is so lacking food and drink wise that SQ give J and F pax vouchers to go and redeem at Café Deco http://www.cafedecogroup.com/outlet.php?oid=53 - hopefully UA will do same.

Dear All, anyone has an email address to Baggage Service Office in Pudong? My baggage has been lost during a China Eastern flight from Rome FCO to PVG ( stopover ) with final destination Hong Kong, on April 25th and probably is still in PVG. I want to send pictures of lost bag to help them to identify it.
Thank you so much.
Raffaella

I wouldn't risk it.

With KA on the backside, I would take this gamble because those guys are remarkably good on the CS front.

But, I'm wondering what airports in Japan have service to Shanghai, and not Hong Kong (only HIJ and those fluke airports that Spring flies to come to mind)?

The incoming airport is important. So is the carrier. If it's a Chinese airline I wouldn't bet on it being on time.

IME, Japan/Korea--Shanghai flights are actually not especially delay prone, even on MU.

Did the KIX - PVG flight 8-10 times a year for four years on primarily MU. Flights originating from KIX in the afternoon were late half the time because the incoming flight from PVG was late. Late was anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours late. Our worst case, we missed our connection in PVG and ended up staying in a pretty bad 'free' hotel.

However flights originating in KIX in the morning, it was never late from my recollection.

I suppose I should have qualified my statement a little more before giving MU high marks on the punctuality of its Japan flights because like you, when flying them from Japan I try my best to choose airplanes that overnight in Japan, and actively avoid same day turns that have China activity in the morning (e.g. iirc the KIX flight that doesn't overnight in Japan starts its day by flying KMG-PVG, which is a heavily delayed route).

Recheck luggage in Shanghai?
 

Hello,

My wife and I are traveling to Thailand next week. We leave OKC and have a connecting flight in Shanghai to Phuket. Will we need to recheck our luggage and go through immigrations in Shanghai? We only have an 85 minute layover once we arrive in Shanghai. Just wanted to make sure we will have enough time to reach our connecting flight. Any feedback is appreciated.

Our itinerary is as follows:


Jun 28, 2014 - Departure 2 stops Total travel time: 28 h 20 m
Oklahoma City - OKC 7:05am to Los Angeles LAX 7:55am
Terminal 4
2 h 50 m
American Airlines 3629
Layover: 4 h 35 m

Los Angeles- LAX 12:30pm to Shanghai PVG 5:30pm +1 day
Terminal 1
14 h 0 m
China Eastern Airlines 586
Layover: 1 h 25 m

Shanghai - PVG 6:55pm Terminal 1 to Phuket HKT 11:25pm
Terminal 1
Arrives on Jun 29, 2014
5 h 30 m
China Eastern Airlines 9857

No need to recheck in this case.

Connection time at Shanghai
 

We are flying from Vancouver to Shanghai arriving at 14:25 on Air Canada. I have booked a domestic flight from Shanghai to Beijing on the same day at 16:15 on China Air. Both flights arrive and depart from T2. Is this enough time between flights?

That should be fine, but why not fly AC to PEK instead of PVG?

Thanks but originally going to spend 4 days in Shanghai on our way to Melbourne but decided to go to Beijing instead. Also, this is on Aeroplan points :)

Can you switch to PEK? Even if the change fee costs you more than the SHA-PEK ticket, it's probably worth doing so because connecting in China sucks.

Unfortunately no - we're actually going to fly from Shanghai the following day as we don't believe its enough time.

I wouldn't do it. While 1hr 50min seems to be "ok", and long haul international flight tend to be rather much on time (having the ability to catch up) you'll still have to go through immigration (usually not THAT bad, but i can delay you) and waiting for your luggage to recheck it.

Now, that SHOULD leave enough time when your arrival is on time, but not giving you much spare.

I would give this connection some more time.

How much connection time are you leaving in Shanghai to make your OZ flight? This would be a bigger worry for me.

This would be my biggest worry.

We did the YVR to PVG transfer to WZ regularly on AC and CA, we usually left a 3-4 hour connection time and we still missed the connection 3-4 times in a span of four years.

After saying that, we did make the connection most times.

However, I have found delays at PVG getting worse and worse, especially in recent years.

We're going to change so that we fly to Beijing on April 4 and return on April 6 at 22:25. The flight from Shanghai to Melbourne on April 7 leaving at 17:25.

5 hours in Shanghai
 

Hi Guys, I have a 5 hour layover in Shanghai on 18th of Jan 2015 and again early Feb. Transferring from Virgin to ANZ on way to Auckland. Is it worth attempting to do anything with this 5 hours , or is too much trouble ? Will have the missus and the MiLaw so wont be able to rush around !
Looking forward to the flights especially the ANZ 787-9 , we are travelling PE and it looks like a very good layout and comfy seats.
Also hope that on the return leg Virgin have replaced the A340-300 with a 787 . Outward on 340-600 so not so bad.
Ta
Phil

5 hours is not enough considering that you will need some time to just get to the city. Even if you take the Maglev, you will require a minimum of 60 mins just to reach the end station from the time your flight lands.

You are better off spending the time in the lounge.

Book a day room at either of the airport terminal hotels (Chinese chain motels) and get all of you a shower and some rest.

Thanks for the info guys . What lounge options are there at Terminal 2 in Shanghai, considering only flying PE not upper ?
Going to use pay lounge at H/row although Virgin only want £440 for all 3 of us to go in upper lounge with a car pick up ( we are just inside max distance). We normally have a merc take us for £100 e/way. Plus extra air miles.
Ta
Phil

One thing to keep in mind is that staffing of transit desks is spotty. In theory you don't have to clear immigration and you can just transit into the departure hall air-side. In practice, there can be zero people at the transit desks and you will be shunted to immigration and have to go land-side and clear security again to get air-side. I had no problem doing this last time despite not having a visa but it was quite time-consuming. Also, my 2nd flight left 30 minutes early and I only just made it despite having 2+ hrs layover.

I've been to lounges but I was traveling business. My recollection is that they are all business/first lounges unless you have some membership from your airline.

OK, so sounds like we need a few hours to make sure we are OK for next flight and maybe keep an eye on the flight times . I'm sure a few hours having a meal and so on will soon go .
Thanks

You have plenty of time to take the Maglev and grab some food in the area there... no remarkable restaurants, but at least it gets you out of the airport.

Regarding this option, I'd switch from the Maglev to line 7 for the one stop hop to Huamu Rd. Lots of choices adjacent to the Shangri-La Hotel.

You mean the Kerry Pudong?

Thanks for that, couple of options there. As long as we know what we can do we can just see how we feel after disembarking .
I wish we had more time and could have arranged a stop over in Shanghai . But only have 3 weeks in all and don't want to lose time in NZ .
Phil

Unless you are desperate for facebook photos, not worth the hassle mate. Shanghai is a great city but very vanilla. Unless tall buildings and electricity impress you, its a bit meh.
Beijing is of course superior in every way..... Just putting that out there:D

The alternative is spending 5 hours at PVG!