AVOID PVG for Transit
Dec 18, 2013 | 6:09 am
#31
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Miami 7-Million Miler EXP
Posts: 829
Transit Desk Closed For Me (Original Poster)
When I arrived PVG around 20:30 on 11/7/13 the Transit Desk was CLOSED. There was no one at the desk - I heard voices & went to the offices off the hallway behind the desk and was directed to customs.
When I flew MU (China Eastern) 11/16/13 from REP-PVG-NRT, I was told that I could NOT check luggage thru to NRT and that I could NOT transit PVG. Again, just my experience in November.
Dec 22, 2013 | 8:33 pm
#32
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 3,428
I put up some (nice) resistance, then finally asked for the supervisor, and she came over and confirmed that they "were only allowed to check me [and bags] to PVG" and no further. This was in January, and it was at the First class check-in at HKG. Thankfully, unlike the U.S., China has a transit without visa (TWOV) provision, otherwise we would have been SOL.With the bags short checked by KA to PVG that was not an option.
You probably had an untrained check-in agent at HKG (?) I flew HKG-PVG-ORD-SEA and was able to check my bags all the way to ORD. She also gave me my BPs to ORD as well. I will mention that it took her sometime to check me in on the system, so maybe some CSRs aren't familiar with these types of tickets.
You should've also been able to transit at PVG w/o clearing immigration/security or picking up your bags. There's a transit desk after you get out of the plane and walk towards the Immigration/Customs line. It was open and manned both times I flew through PVG.
You should've also been able to transit at PVG w/o clearing immigration/security or picking up your bags. There's a transit desk after you get out of the plane and walk towards the Immigration/Customs line. It was open and manned both times I flew through PVG.
I have to agree that you had an untrained check in agent in hkg. We checked in at the airport express terminal in November for a hkg pvg Ord flight. It was actually on two different tickets one award and one paid. After a little confusion... mostly on our part since we didn't think you could transfer without re checking in. and we didn't have a printout of the pvg to Ord the agent was able to tag our bags all the way to Ord. When we arrived in pvg the transfer signs were prominent, the transfer desk was manned and we did not see our bags until Ord. There was one little hiccup in pvg when we went to board. Even though we had boarding passes, we had to wait for Chinese immigration to clear us at the gate to board. I don't think all the kinks have been worked out, but these was much improved from before. We are doing this again in early February so I can report back then.
Dec 22, 2013 | 9:28 pm
#33
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Bonvoy Platinum, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,862
Even though we had boarding passes, we had to wait for Chinese immigration to clear us at the gate to board. I don't think all the kinks have been worked out, but these was much improved from before. We are doing this again in early February so I can report back then.
I guess it depends on what time you arrive into PVG as well.. All of my connections were between 2 and 4PM.
Dec 23, 2013 | 5:03 pm
#34
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 3,428
Unfortunately in C. Arrived in pvg around 3 and was at the gate the entire time and was first in line for boarding. Boarding stopped until the immigration officer appeared. Wasn't pretty. Glad it was China and not in the US.