889

Sorry to burden you with what you already know. Won't happen again.

Ivan Denisovich

https://www.hongkongairlines.com/en_...ansit&Transfer

I was looking for information regarding the sea-air transfer and ran across this page (not sure if I can post links, it is to the HX transit and transfer page). They appear to only be willing to check through if everything is on one ticket. Hopefully you will find them more accommodating in practice because of the unique situation in Hong Kong.

Often1

I would consider freighting the bags and not getting into the middle of what may well be a fluid and bad situation. While that will clearly cost money, perhaps there are items which are of value and you need quickly which you can carry and then leave the rest for a more leisurely trip home, perhaps to be handled by a friend or colleague.

williamluk

I will be surprised HX will check bags thru to LH, but then this is extraordinary times so who knows. Anyway, OP should be on the way now, he may give us an update if he care to do so.

889

And we have the well-known CY Leung et famille episode of a few years ago which brought to light strict airport security regulations that may make life difficult when you're airside and your stuff isn't.

Finalcall

I asked a friend who's done these transfers about her experience. She says that through check-in of luggage is available at at least one mainland port: Fuyong Ferry Terminal near Shenzhen Bao'an Airport. The way it works is similar to the in-town check-in at the Hong Kong Airport Express train stations in downtown Hong Kong. They will check your luggage through to your final destination and even print out your boarding pass. You will not have to retrieve your luggage in HKG. Zhuhai Jiuzhou Terminal used to also be able to do it but not sure these days. The service should be available for most or all airlines, but I'd call the airline you're transferring on to to make sure, due to the rapidly changing daily situation.

MSPeconomist

What? Who? Story please.

889

The details are really off-topic here, but as I recall his daughter was flying out of HK and once airside realised she had left something on the other side of security. She asked the airline, Cathay I believe, to get it but they refused, citing security regulations forbidding third-parties from bringing passengers' things airside. Ultimately her mother got involved, CY himself made a phone call and somehow Cathay reunited her with her things.

There was much discussion in the press whether this was all kosher, with conflicting versions of who said what to whom.

Subsequently there may have been one or two similar events involving other parties, I'm a bit hazy.

EMIC

If if if if if:

Just a thought for others who may be facing the same dilemma as OP, however, it would require a couple of if's.....which are

If you have a multi entry visa to China and,

If you have a 6+ hour layover in HKG between 7.00am and 8.30pm........

When transmitting through HKG to further afield, but had to buy separate tickets from China, therefore running the risk of your luggage only being initially checked to HKG and not final destination............

On arrival at HKG - go straight to Ferry ticket kiosk and book earliest ferry to Shekou - they will ask you for your luggage tags.
CKS will then bring your luggage to the ferry and you will have to collect it on arrival in Shekou.
Re-book in Shekou terminal for next ferry to airport - they will then check in your luggage to final destination (in most cases)
You go on ferry back to airport.

I believe my logical thought process would work, however, you would need the time to complete it. BUT exceptional times require 'out of box' thinking.

Sure this could be a solution - hopefully others could verify as well - and could maybe help someone else trying to extricate themselves from China.

Really hope someone will find this useful.

williamluk

Care to give an update? I thought you said "Given there are 30,000 Brits in China as well as many more other foreigners, many of whom will be leaving via HKG and with different airlines out of necessity, useful information and tips to increase the success of the travel can only be helpful." Shouldn't you let other people know and give them some useful tips?

889

Looking at the flight records, it seems the LH flight to Munich ex HK he was booked on was cancelled on fairly short notice. So he had to make some sort of work-around when he arrived HKIA. Like you, curious how he did it.

Need

Is it possible that he had to leave the terminal and got quarantined in HK and has no internet access?

889

Apparently you can be quarantined in a hotel if you pay for it and if the hotel is willing to take you.

Don't know whether there's wifi at the public quarantine centres mostly in holiday camps, but phones still work there with data, presumably.