Experience seems to match that of just about every other airline and outstation:

Some staff are good, some will be confused, all will (eventually) follow the rules - but you may need to help the staff find them; leave a little time to ensure it's all sorted out.

 

I can just second typical - don't arrive on the last minute (like you never should with anything but the most regular kind of flights.. plus you want to use the lounge, don't you? ) to give staff some time in case you've hit someone new on the job. Maybe a bit more time if you're on a transfer that is over 72hrs (and taking use of the "arrival day+72hrs rule")

 

In many cases, that's not possible. Those numbers are usually not published, not in the U.S. at least.

 

Thanks guys. I have a 3 hrs layover in HKG, so I guess that would be enough to sort it out - probably I'll go to their transit desk airside, hope their elite queue is short (I'm OWE) The CX desk does handle KA flights, doesn't it?

(I'm 69 hrs in transit)

 

I don't know if it works at Heathrow but in germany it does, at least at Frankfurt and D�sseldorf I know for sure.

 

Oh-Oh. That doesn't sound like a TOO easy situation, to be honest. Still very probably no problem but all, but slightly increased difficulty. I guess both typical and me assumed you were originating your travel in HKG. Well, if you land indeed 3 hours prior to departure, you should be fine. But..

So you'll be arriving into HKG on ticket 1, then continue to CAN on ticket 2, then from CAN to BKK on ticket 3, if I understood this right?

No luggage, from what I understand? Or hoping to check-through on different tickets and pick up your BP at transfer counter, or someone picking your luggage from the belt after you register at transfer counter and re-check it for you? (Not very familiar with HKG-transfer situation about what's possible.. in SIN, they can pick it up for you if you want to stay airside despite not having it checked-through)

If no luggage, airside transfer should be possible and easy enough.

With luggage, especially if you're unlucky and some waiting time/delay happens, your 3hrs reserve might melt away a bit. Still, if you're arriving on time, that's all fine - but have your flight arrive 1+ hour late, and you'll be running quite tight on time.. especially as you're going for a 69-hours transit in CAN. Which, unless you arrive like 1am there and depart 10pm, means you're staying 4 calendar days, right?

While this is totally legal with TWOV, there had been some reports that some staff had trouble understanding TIMATIC correctly. And while it usually can be sorted out (even mindless agents usually are smart enough to call a supervisor) that can take time.

So, all in all, you should be fine, but this is a transfer that I probably wouldn't suggest my grandmother to do..

 

Who are you arriving in to HKG on? If it is CX or KA they will through check you at your point of origin and qualify you for TWOV before you even board the plane to HKG.

 

I'm on AY to HKG, so they MIGHT check me thru, even if it's two separate tix, as both are OW.

 

should be fine, but have the UL ticket handy at check-in at HEL as evidence of your TWOV to China.

 

New to the visa forums, but have a quick question regarding PEK transit visa. I am thinking of booking the following on AA:

DFW-PEK Arrive 3/21/16 at 2:55pm local time
PEK-DFW Depart 5:50pm local time

This is strictly a mileage run as I was able to apply SWUs. The question is, I do not plan to leave the airport with such a limited amount of time, so do I need a special visa? I am trying to avoid the tourist visa application process...so am hoping this is workaround.

My questions are:
1. Do I need a a real tourist visa for this instance? Or will a transit visa work?
2. If I do need something, is it a visa I can get when I arrive at PEK?

Thanks for the help, I started looking through the forum, but 100+ pages are a lot to get through.

Thanks!

 

1. Yes - you would need a tourist visa - transit visa would not work since you are arriving from and departing to the same country.

2. No - you would need to get it prior to travel.

 

This is not a transit so you do not qualify for a visa exemption. You'd be ok with a stop in a country other than the US either just before or just after China.

 

you will need a full visa, or you will need to otherwise make your itinerary compliant.

The wiki at the top of this thread contains all the information you need, summarised.

 

In addition to the fact that it's not a transit (transit is A -> China -> B) and not eligible for TWOV it's also not the safest connection.

 

Same airplane "connections" are always safe.