Customs Needed for International Flight Transfers at Hong Kong?
Feb 10, 2011, 1:15 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: StarAlliance, ThankYou, CO, UA
Posts: 8
Customs Needed for International Flight Transfers at Hong Kong?
A friend and I are taking a tour of Asia. We are planning to travel to Bangkok, Thailand (BKK), Hong Kong (HKG) , and Sanya, China (SYX) for a wedding.
If we were to travel from BKK to SYX via two international flights (BKK to HKG, HKG to SYX), do we need to exit the terminal for customs or can we simply transfer quickly? What is the customs protocol for international flight transfers?
If we were to travel from BKK to SYX via two international flights (BKK to HKG, HKG to SYX), do we need to exit the terminal for customs or can we simply transfer quickly? What is the customs protocol for international flight transfers?
Last edited by Munna2002; Feb 10, 2011 at 1:23 pm
Feb 10, 2011, 1:28 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: BA, UA, Marriot
Posts: 2,196
Assuming that you're actually flying BKK-HKG-SYX in one go, then are your bags being checked through from BKK to SYX?
If yes, then you don't need to enter HK and will simply stay airside in the airport. You will need to go through security after arrival as arriving and departing passengers are kept separate.
If the bags are being checked only to HK, then you'll need to go through immigration, collect bags, go through customs and then re-check.
Btw, this would have been better asked in the Hong Kong forum for future reference.
If yes, then you don't need to enter HK and will simply stay airside in the airport. You will need to go through security after arrival as arriving and departing passengers are kept separate.
If the bags are being checked only to HK, then you'll need to go through immigration, collect bags, go through customs and then re-check.
Btw, this would have been better asked in the Hong Kong forum for future reference.
Feb 10, 2011, 1:51 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,443
Whether you can transfer quickly is another thing. In my experience the security check when you transfer at Hong Kong can be quite slow (on one occasion it took an hour this does not include walking time from arrival gate to security and from security to departure gate). Therefore, make sure you have plenty of time between flights.
Feb 10, 2011, 2:21 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: StarAlliance, ThankYou, CO, UA
Posts: 8
Assuming that your luggage is tagged through to Sanya when you check in at Bangkok, then you won't need to clear immigration or customs at Hong Kong.
Whether you can transfer quickly is another thing. In my experience the security check when you transfer at Hong Kong can be quite slow (on one occasion it took an hour this does not include walking time from arrival gate to security and from security to departure gate). Therefore, make sure you have plenty of time between flights.
Whether you can transfer quickly is another thing. In my experience the security check when you transfer at Hong Kong can be quite slow (on one occasion it took an hour this does not include walking time from arrival gate to security and from security to departure gate). Therefore, make sure you have plenty of time between flights.
How do Guangzhou transfers compare? I found that Guangzhou also goes into SYX from BKK.
Feb 11, 2011, 7:23 am
#6
Senior Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat/2MM [23-yr. 1K, now emeritus] clawing way back to WN-A List; MR LT Titanium; HY Whateverist.
Posts: 12,397
Please follow the discussion as the thread moves to the Travel->Hong Kong forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.
Feb 12, 2011, 1:19 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HKG, BOS
Programs: CX SL, AB Gold, AF/KL FB Silver, HU/HX Silver, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,596
Assuming that your luggage is tagged through to Sanya when you check in at Bangkok, then you won't need to clear immigration or customs at Hong Kong.
Whether you can transfer quickly is another thing. In my experience the security check when you transfer at Hong Kong can be quite slow (on one occasion it took an hour – this does not include walking time from arrival gate to security and from security to departure gate). Therefore, make sure you have plenty of time between flights.
Whether you can transfer quickly is another thing. In my experience the security check when you transfer at Hong Kong can be quite slow (on one occasion it took an hour – this does not include walking time from arrival gate to security and from security to departure gate). Therefore, make sure you have plenty of time between flights.
As mentioned by moondog, CAN is significantly less efficient than HKG. You'll also face notoriously frequent delays due to ATC, especially since CAN-SYX is domestic.
Feb 14, 2011, 10:47 am
#8
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Programs: UA 1K, AA Lifetime Platinum, DL Platinum, Honors Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz Platinum
Posts: 7,974
Also, wouldn't immigration/customs formalities entering China be handled at CAN on such an itinerary? That going to increase both the average processing time, as well as the variability.
Feb 15, 2011, 3:35 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southeast USA
Programs: various
Posts: 6,710
Yes formalities would be handled at CAN and bags would have to be picked up, go through Customs, and then up to recheck for domestic flight. I strongly recommend this traveller stick with the BKK-HKG-SYX routing.
Feb 15, 2011, 4:35 am
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,166
While I couldn't agree more, it the last time I looked at this thread, it occurred to be that CZ tends to substantially cheaper than KA. I think all of us could be compelled to transit via CAN if we were paid X to do so (where X varies from person to person).
Feb 15, 2011, 2:38 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 124
In my experience the security check when you transfer at Hong Kong can be quite slow (on one occasion it took an hour this does not include walking time from arrival gate to security and from security to departure gate). Therefore, make sure you have plenty of time between flights.
Feb 16, 2011, 6:44 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HKG, BOS
Programs: CX SL, AB Gold, AF/KL FB Silver, HU/HX Silver, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,596
Mar 13, 2011, 10:56 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: OnePass - Platinum, MileagePlus - 1K (Linked)
Posts: 236
19 cigarettes!!
I'm flying EWR - HKG - MNL. I tried to buy some cigarettes in EWR. The duty free sales people didn't want to sell the five cartons to me. They told me that I would only be allowed to have 19 cigarettes for HKG. I thought this couldn't be right as I am transiting immediately to another flight to MNL. I don't intend on going through customs. Can anyone confirm what the case should be? I can't imagine they'd be checking how many cigarettes I have as I get off the plane, walk to a transit desk, go through security screening, and head to my new gate. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Mar 13, 2011, 12:24 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: HKG
Programs: Priority Club Plat
Posts: 12,311
I'm flying EWR - HKG - MNL. I tried to buy some cigarettes in EWR. The duty free sales people didn't want to sell the five cartons to me. They told me that I would only be allowed to have 19 cigarettes for HKG. I thought this couldn't be right as I am transiting immediately to another flight to MNL. I don't intend on going through customs. Can anyone confirm what the case should be? I can't imagine they'd be checking how many cigarettes I have as I get off the plane, walk to a transit desk, go through security screening, and head to my new gate. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Mar 15, 2011, 7:03 am
#15
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: OnePass - Platinum, MileagePlus - 1K (Linked)
Posts: 236
cheaper? yeah.
In EWR, the five carton pack was like $140. A carton holds ten packs and a pack can cost $7.00. So a five carton pack can cost $350. I just don't understand why the Duty Free people gave me such a hard time. I wasn't going through customs. I doubt they understood the entire situation and they had no desire to hear it either. I almost asked them if they had ever been to Hong Kong or transited through Hong Kong. Thanks.