moondog

Maybe you should do what many FTers do -- positioning flights to start your trips; you can save thousands of USD if you don't mind popping over to TPE and back.

Kacee

I was referring to business class fares (and I'm pretty sure Sykes and UA_Flyer were, too).

Sykes

It's probably also relevant that I was referring to ex-USA. I haven't booked any HKG origin tickets lately (or for that matter many Asia->USA tickets in general) and I'd expect CX to exercise its pricing power a bit more for ex-HKG tickets.

moondog

They sure do, but their pricing power ex-CAN, for example, is non-existent.

lixiaojuventus

Oh, thanks for the tips! Some of my trips will be reimbursed by my company, so I have to start from HKG. However, I do have many personal trips, so I really appreciate your suggestion that starting from nearby cities (TPE, etc) can lead to substantial savings. I guess this will work because purchasing a separate RT HKG-TPE flights is relatively inexpensive? Or do people simply abandon the last HKG-TPE segment?

moondog

Most of my friends abandon the last segment
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lixiaojuventus

I see. But I read somewhere that many airlines do not like people abandoning the last segment. Is it not so much a concern on CX?

moondog

1. The frontline CX people are very used to this drill, and often even allow bags to be checked all the way through from HKG on the initial flight

2. If you don't check bags on the return, you have zero to worry about

3. If you do, simply slot in an overnight layover on the return

There's lots of discussion about this in the CX forum here.

lixiaojuventus

Great! Thanks for your reply! I will definitely read more about this on the CX forum

goodeats21

This is all a bit off topic, but make sure that you fully understand the ramifications of booking separate tickets for positioning. Bottom line is you have no protections if you run into delays.
I do it on occasion and it can be very effective, but not without risks.

lixiaojuventus

Thanks for the reminder! Yes, I am aware of the risk associated with two separated tickets. Perhaps I can start from CAN, which can be reached by a high-speed train instead of flying. Of course, when other places have irresistible fares, I will also give them a try

artvandalay

Don't forget SZX.

SFO_Runner

If Smisek were still here, we'd have a second SFO - HKG on a winglet equipped 757.

moondog

SZX is only 30 miles from HKG. KA does not fly there.

HkCaGu

FA base: HKG is one of only 2 foreign bases left on the Pacific side. PMUA had not hired anyone since about 2000, and right before merger (2018) the number went down to about 140--that's about full staffing for 1 flight a day. For quite a while they served SFO/SIN, then SFO only, then mixing with US crew on ORD, and now after merger, EWR too. They actually allowed FAs elsewhere with HK work eligibility to transfer, so the shrinking may have reversed.

Day vs night flight timing: Apart from the corporate and business travel side, the day flight, esp SFO, is not conducive to leisure flyers on their own dime to buy a lie flat seat. HKG-SFO is too late in the "morning", everyone had regular sleep night before, and won't feel sleepy until, like, landing time. Recently I paid $300 for PP TLV-SFO and my dad paid $400 for PP SFO-HKG. I felt PP was worth it, and dad said absolutely not! It's all about the sleep. (He flew HKG-SFO 2 days ago, 22 of 24 seats were empty. He walked around freely and felt this $400 was very worth it!) UA only flies westbound SYD/MEL/AKL/half SIN redeyes.

And being from LAX I still can't understand why they can't fly SFO-HKG at 11 am like ICN and some Japan flights. It's risky for us to get to SFO after 0930 due to the infamous stratus. We all over the western US must take the 6-7 am to be not delayed by a day anyway. And I'm sure HKG FAs wouldn't mind going home for dinner.