s0ju

Hey everyone,
Just booked a cheap flight with this airline. I'll be traveling with a few people. Have any of you booked a trip with this flight and was able to get seats next to each other? I could select seats, but they're all over the place. On the tickets, it says also that, the seats are going to be assigned when I checked in. I'm hoping once we check in, they could assign seats for us that are next to each other. It's my first time on this airline and they seem to be helpful with everything else. I screwed up with a birth year and they easily fixed it for me free of charge. Thanks!

endet

I had success assigning seats in advance by contacting the local office. I dont know what your exact route is but the contact details on the "about us" page changes depending on the region / country you select on the top right hand corner.
May trip was DUB-XMN-MNL and return and the MNL was able to assign seats for me in advance.

Is this your first flight with them? Are you aware that you require a VISA for transferring flights in XMN as you have to enter China? There are Visa on arrival (or transfer visa) available to many countries but not all. I don't want to scare monger you but just make you aware that there is no straight "flight to flight" transfer as it would be in many other airports.

moondog

1. I almost never book seats beforehand unless doing OLCI
2. Anybody can transit in China without visas; transit visas still exist, but are very rare these days
3. VOA is kind of complicated, but in many cases you need an authorisation letter from the entry exit bureau in order to avail of it

endet

Sorry mate, but when was the last time you actually flew as a tourist transiting flights in china, especially in Xiamen?

I can speak from experience in October 2018 which is fairly recent.

I flew with the same airline OP has booked via the same airport. Unless you have any evidence for your claims I have to rate your comment as useless and actually bad advise for OP.

s0ju

Thanks for the reply. I finally got back around to this. Did they charge you a fee for the seats? Seems like I could select it now, but they'll charge me if I pick them. I'm traveling with three other people and hope to have them assign us all together. I'm going from LAX-TAO-XIA-ICN. Their customer service seems decent. I screwed up on one of my buddy's birthday on one of the bookings. They said they'll change it for free. They just couldn't do it when I called because they needed his passport number. Once I get it, I'll call to update and also ask about the seating assignments.

Yes, this is my first flight ever with them. I've never even known about this airline until I started looking for flights. They were the cheapest one. I've been doing some research and I'm aware. I'll be in 2 hour layover in TAO. I don't think we'll be getting off the plane though. I think the stop is just for refueling before we fly out to XIA. If I do have to get off for a short period of time. Would I need the Visa on arrival for that? I know for sure I'd have to get one in XIA because I'll be there for about 23 hours. I'll probably have to get the 72 hour transit visa. I know they provide a hotel also since it's an over night flight. I could taken another flight, but I figured, it's a good way to spend a whole day in China and explore that area. Thanks for the reply!

s0ju

From everything I've read and watched on youtube with people going through Xiamen for a layover, a transit visa is definitely required. Was your route directly to XIA? I'm landing first in TAO for two hours, I'm wondering if I need to get anything in TAO or not. Thanks for your input!

moondog

Transit visas are extremely rare these days because: 1 China has offered visa free transit for the past 20 years and 2. most of us can get good visas for the same price as G visas

Since you are stopping in TAO, your total time in China will be capped at 24 hours unless you get a visa

endet

I have no idea how someone like you can be a Flyertalk representative aka Evangelist. It is beyond my comprehension.
You are not replying to questions ask and you are spreading wrong information.

But maybe you want to convince Xiamenair that you are right and that they are wrong?

As per the below link only travellers from 53 countries can transit without a visa. And it is also not in every airport but in a few selected ones (Xiamen being one of them).

https://www.xiamenair.com/en-us/pass...e/ground8.html

endet

I was not charged anything for seat selection when emailing them. Have to add that I flew business class so that might have made a difference. But it shouldnt stop you from asking. With a small bit of luck they wont charge you anything as well.
I felt quite save flying with Xiamen. Inflight entertainment options in English is quite limited. So be prepared and download stuff on your tablet or phone.
If you are a national of the 53 countries mentioned on the Xiamenair website you just need to complete the blue form handed out on the plane and go through immigration in Xiamen.
Xiamen has no airside transit so you always have to pass through immigration.
I dont know much about the refueling stop in TAO, my flight was direct. I had read at least a post before from someone with actual experience. I will try to find it again.

I have posted my own video for the arrival part in Xiamen in a different post here in this forum. Its from plane to the Taxi. It might be helpful for you depending on when your next flight is going and what your plans are.

moondog

Xiamen Air does not have anything to with PRC entry/exit. There are NO countries excluded from 24 hour TWOV! The poster in question is not eligible for 144 hour TWOV because of the TAO stop.

While I can't profess to be an absolute expert on this, I started the current TWOV thread 5 years ago (and, another one before that), and have read every single post. I actually DO know what I'm talking about.

s0ju

I'll be sure to ask. I have a U.S.passport, so I'm good to go. I'll try searching for your video once I get home. Thanks!

s0ju

With the TAO and XIA overnight layover, I'll be at around 27 hours. So it kind of seems like, I'll be fine without it transiting through TAO, since I'll only new at two hours. Then once I get to XIA, I'd apply for the 72 hour free transit visa(the blue card). I think if you stay over 24 hours, you're suppose to register with the local authorities also.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

No no! You cannot combine multiple transits without visa on one visit to China. You must qualify for a single type of TWOV in order to be allowed to board the plane from your point of origin.

If yo have multiple stops in China, the ONLY TWOV applicable to you is the 24-hour TWOV (with entry permit). This allows multiple stops and transfers, including domestic flights. There is no such thing - that I have yet to see - that qualifies as a true 'technical stop' in China (despite what airlines might call it). From other flights, and everything I have read about the Xiamen air stops in TAO, at this stopover point (TAO) you will enter China and pass through immigration. (In this respect it is the same as the USA... first point you touch US soil you need to be cleared.)

As you have a stop in TAO, if you do not intend to buy a visa, you must depart China no later than 24 hours after arrival. This is actually the time your plane is scheduled to take off... not the time you arrive at the airport or clear immigration.

As you will enter China in TAO under the 24-hour TWOV, you cannot then apply for the 72-hour version in XMN.

Your options are (a) apply for a visa (b) change your itinerary to stay in China less than 24 hours or (c) change your itinerary so that you only have one stop and can avail yourself of the 72-hour TWOV.

moondog is correct - if you are going to apply for a visa you would just apply for a regular single, double, or - in the case of US passport holders - a 10-year tourist visa. I'm not even sure of why people would apply for a transit (G) visa.

24-hour TWOV is available to almost all nationalities. 72 and 144 hour TWOV are limited to 53 nationalities.

You are correct that you must register with police within 24 hours of arrival, but if you are staying at a hotel they will do this for you. If you are staying with friends they will need to accompany you to the police station to register you (they will need to bring personal documents).

plunet

I agree with the above. Your technical stop in TAO will require you to leave the aircraft and clear immigration as you will then travel on as a domestic passenger. Whether you will need to clear your baggage for customs in TAO or XIA depends on how the airline and airports handle that situation, in principle it should be in XIA but it depends if they can separate your international bags from the domestic bags for customs formalities whilst you arrive as a domestic passenger.

If you have any doubt about the fact that you need a visa for this journey then contact your local Chinese embassy for advice, but by my understanding of the situation you do need a visa but please report back on your experience.



​​​​​

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

unfortunately the local Chinese embassy is probably the last place you'd want to go for visa advice <amy of the Chinese embassy sites are hopelessly out of date, although this is slowly improving. Many of them still showed 72-hour TWOV in Shanghai and Beijing when 144-hour TWOV had been available for over a year.

The Chinese embassy, consulate and visa services will almost always advise you need a visa - even if you don't.

But the rules around TWOV are clear. As suspected, immigration will occur in TAO. This limits total stay in China to 24 hours if the OP is continuing on elsewhere.