I set-up my DONE4 with JFK-YVR-HKG legs. My intention had been to fly both legs consecutively and benefit from the extra tier points. BA were able to book it but CX cancelled it saying there was not enough connection time at YVR. It was then rebooked JFK-HKG. The only way I was able to get it ticketed as two legs was to book the flights on different days. I really need to do it as a straight through.

Anyone had experience of doing this or any similar problems with CX?

Aren't there two CX YVR-HKG flights (ex-YYZ and JFK) leaving within 40 minutes of each another around 3 AM daily? (Plus, I think, a turnaround that leaves at 3 PM or so?) Don't they both arrive around 10 PM? Not enough time?

What if you ticketed one of the legs as its AA codeshare? Kosher I think for the OWE.

If you have to spend an evening and morning in Vancouver, you can take comfort that it's the largest Sino-Scottish city in the world.

I think the difficulty is that there is no airside transit at YVR after 9/11.

Through passengers must remain onboard while YVR passengers must deplance and go through immigration. I don't think you'll have enough time to go through immigration and security. You would need to work it out with CX so that they would take your YVR-HKG boarding pass while you remain onboard. I don't know if that is possible.

YOu CAN't take the YYZ flight to HKG. CX only allow people to Board in YVR IF it ie overbooking or other circumstances. YOu will not be able to book it under normal circumstances.

I understand your point about max Tier points ( that is why I think CX's method of calculating the status level is heaps better! - BAsed on miles not those stupid tier points system).

What you can do is (if you don't mind staying in YVR for the night is to treat YVR as a transit stop. There is another flight yo HKG @ 2:30pm the same day. Therefore it is still a transit.

Also if you speak to CX I think they will allow you the following:

CX889 JFK-YVR
CX889 YVR-JFK
Just explain to them the situation and they should allow you to checkin form JFK all the way to HKG so no need to get out of the plane.

However do note that you have to pay EXTRA on the above ticketing (as I was adviced by the CX Lounge agent before) due to the extra set of landing fees and fuel surcharge and other bits and pieces!, But not the actual dept tax as you are Transit)

Very easy to solve.

Book the whole trip as TWO seperate reservations.

Upon check-in, advise check in at JFK that you have another reservations for YVR-HKG. They are to check your bags all the way to HKG. But they are to issue you two seperate boarding passses.

Smart suggestion to solve the booking problem, GB. ^

But you need to talk to purser once you are onboard and work out a way for CX to collect your ticket at YVR. When I took 889 last month, they checked the boarding passes of passengers deplaning at YVR, then took a headcount for passengers remaining onboard. You cannot get off as there is no way to get back on without going through immigration and security. Therefore, you would need to alert the purser and maybe he/she could take your flight coupon and give it to YVR agent.

YVR agents will be aware of your 'connection'. They will be waiting for you at the gate to collect the other half of the boarding pass. You need not get off the aircraft.

Thanks for the advice. I will wait until it is ticketed and then try to get it set-up.

I flew JFK(YVR)HKG on a direct routing on an AONE3, but ended up with two boarding cards as there was a cock-up with the seat reservations and I had to switch seats in YVR. (In the end I got to keep my 1A, but that's another story)

IIRC, both boarding cards were taken at JFK when I boarded. I certainly didn't get off in YVR. The purser may have taken my YVR-HKG card on board, but it was late at night and I would have been in a champagne fugg.

Bottom Line: If you get two BC's, you shouldn't have a problem in YVR.