Departing HKG ~ in town check in
Mar 26, 2008 | 8:19 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 30
Departing HKG ~ in town check in
Flying HKG to LHR with BA in CW. Flight isn’t till 00:45, so the plan is to use the Airport Express to check in our luggage and then go to Sha Tin for the horseracing all day.
Questions:
Should I do OLCI to secure our seats and then use the check in at the station as effectively “bag drop”? Or will OLCI prevent us using the in town check in?
Having used the Airport Express to check in must we arrive at the airport by AE? Looking at the MTR map a taxi from the racecourse looks the best option.
As lowly Blues is an airport lounge available to us where we can get a shower before our flight?
Thanks for your help,
Pirate
Questions:
Should I do OLCI to secure our seats and then use the check in at the station as effectively “bag drop”? Or will OLCI prevent us using the in town check in?
Having used the Airport Express to check in must we arrive at the airport by AE? Looking at the MTR map a taxi from the racecourse looks the best option.
As lowly Blues is an airport lounge available to us where we can get a shower before our flight?
Thanks for your help,
Pirate
Mar 26, 2008 | 8:23 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: E14
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Flying in CW you will get access to the lounge, although I can't remember if there are showers there sorry
I'm pretty sure that you don't need to use the Express even if you check in in town
I'm pretty sure that you don't need to use the Express even if you check in in town
Mar 26, 2008 | 8:27 am
#3
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There are showers in the QF/BA lounge, although I would suggest the OP use the Wing/Pier instead
Mar 26, 2008 | 8:36 am
#4
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I have completed OLCI and used ITCI so this should not be a problem. Assuming that you have not been able to allocate seats as BAEC Blues I would guess that you would actively want to OLCI to get the best seats left available.
I have never used the J showers in the Wing but I agree with bensyd the Wing is infinitely preferable to the BA/QF Lounge, I am less sure the same can be said for the Pier.
I see no link between the ITCI and the Airport Express except that ITCI must move checked bags using the aiport express, there is no requirement to travel on it yourself.
I have never used the J showers in the Wing but I agree with bensyd the Wing is infinitely preferable to the BA/QF Lounge, I am less sure the same can be said for the Pier.
I see no link between the ITCI and the Airport Express except that ITCI must move checked bags using the aiport express, there is no requirement to travel on it yourself.
Mar 26, 2008 | 8:44 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Sydney
Posts: 690
Word of advice if you don't know already - as you are in CW I think you can use any free desk at the ITCI. When we were there recently there was only 1 BA desk open and with a queue. There were around 4-5 other airline desks manned but with no pax, however it was only when we saw people wandering over there to drop bags that we realised you could do that for CW (by which time we had got to the front of our queue).
Do use the showers in the Wing - really great although have not used the BA lounge before as I always to to the Wing. Also get a bite to eat there and allow around 15 mins to get to the BA gates.
Do use the showers in the Wing - really great although have not used the BA lounge before as I always to to the Wing. Also get a bite to eat there and allow around 15 mins to get to the BA gates.
Mar 26, 2008 | 9:25 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NE England
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Actually (and somewhat bizarrely) I think they move them by truck. There is no baggage compartment on the Airport Express trains.
Mar 26, 2008 | 9:31 am
#8
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You don't have to travel on the AE to use the ITCI, but you do have to buy an AE ticket...
To get to the Check in desks you go through the barriers. If you're doing this early on then exploring for the rest of the day, it lets you go through the barrier again without an additoinal charge, but you can't do ITCI for free.
To get to the Check in desks you go through the barriers. If you're doing this early on then exploring for the rest of the day, it lets you go through the barrier again without an additoinal charge, but you can't do ITCI for free.
Mar 26, 2008 | 10:26 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2006
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You can check in (and get rid of your bags) as soon as ITCI opens - 5.30am. I'm not aware of any left-luggage facilities at the station.
Mar 26, 2008 | 10:45 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NE England
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http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/airport_ex...ons_hk.html#p1
Left Baggage Service
Service Hours 6:00 am – 1:00 am daily
Service Charge -Up to 3 hours: HK$35 per item
-Over 3-24 hours: HK$50 per item
-Over 24-48 hours: HK$120 per item
Mar 27, 2008 | 4:26 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,663
I am surprised no one mentioned this - the races at the Sha Tin racecourses are all day races with very few exceptions and end at 1800. Sha Tin to the Airport should take no more than 30-40 minutes by taxi. Are you planning to spend six hours at the airport?
Mar 29, 2008 | 7:00 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 30
Quote
I am surprised no one mentioned this - the races at the Sha Tin racecourses are all day races with very few exceptions and end at 1800. Sha Tin to the Airport should take no more than 30-40 minutes by taxi. Are you planning to spend six hours at the airport?
Point taken.
The main issues were, can we dispose of our luggage and can we freshen up at the airport? (Thus obviating the need to retain our hotel room.)
We can now play it by ear once the last race is run, back to Kowloon for dinner, or on to the airport for drinks for me and retail therapy for Mrs P!
Pirate
I am surprised no one mentioned this - the races at the Sha Tin racecourses are all day races with very few exceptions and end at 1800. Sha Tin to the Airport should take no more than 30-40 minutes by taxi. Are you planning to spend six hours at the airport?
Point taken.
The main issues were, can we dispose of our luggage and can we freshen up at the airport? (Thus obviating the need to retain our hotel room.)
We can now play it by ear once the last race is run, back to Kowloon for dinner, or on to the airport for drinks for me and retail therapy for Mrs P!
Pirate