What is the Qantas arrivals lounge like in HK

[Fleetz]

What is the Qantas arrivals lounge like in Hong Kong? Have a 16 hour stop over there and just wondering if it is comfortable enough for that period?

Appeciate any comments,

Regards,

Fleetz

 

[NM]

What is the Qantas arrivals lounge like in Hong Kong? Have a 16 hour stop over there and just wondering if it is comfortable enough for that period?

Qantas does not have any arrivals lounges. There is a Cathay Pacific arrivals lounge, but as far as I am aware its only for CX First Class, MP Gold and OneWorld Emerald arriving on CX or KA flights. Arrivals lounges are not OneWorld lounges and have their own access rules.

From the Cathay Pacific web site:

The Arrival- First Class Lounge (Landside)
Admittance

1. First Class Passengers arriving same day in Hong Kong
2. Gold tier members or above
3. oneworld Emerald members

* Admission only for same day arrival on either Cathay Pacific or Dragonair flights of passengers in Hong Kong, or of passengers with 4 hours or more of transit time

 

[markis10]

16 hours in HK, get out of the airport!

 

[NM]

16 hours in HK, get out of the airport!

indeed. And there are several threads on this site offering suggestions on where to go and how to get there.

 

[Mal]

16 hour stopover? Which flights are you on? Is it a daytime stopover or overnight?

As commented, Qantas don't have an arrivals lounge - although Cathay do. Even if you could access the Cathay lounge, you'd probably be bored with the place after an hour or two maximum!

Also, Hong Kong Airport (airside) does pretty much shut down overnight. Depending on what times your arrival and departure are, you really should look into what to do in Hong Kong.

 

[JetLagged]

16 hours in HK, get out of the airport!

DEFINITELY - HK is easy to get to fromn the airport - much to see and do for 12 hrs - as well as get some non-airconditioned air (note I didn't say fresh air) and exercise! Even time to get down to Macau, etc.

 

[11sjw]

I'm posting purely to reiterate the sentiments in posts 4 & 6. I'm hoping I can engineer a layover like that in HK with some upcoming travel.

 

[Fleetz]

Thanks for the feedback.......one more question.

OK we have decided to leave the airport and indeed have now booked at the Regal Hotel at the airport as we will need to rest up at our ages before we fly out for our final Cairns destination We arrive from LHR at 7am and depart to Cairns at 11:40pm that day.

My question is I can get our luggage checked all the way through to Cairns at LHR with Qantas however they say if we do that we have to stay in the transit area and can not leave the airport. Ideally we don't want to struggle with all our luggage and only need what we have in our carry on for the day. Why can't we simply go through immigration clear customs with our carry on and then return later in the day having already got our boarding passes in LHR at the Qantas check in??

With our boarding passes in hand all we need to do is go through security and go to the boarding gate surely?? Qantas were quite insistant that we had to get stuck is a transit lounge.

Thanks and regards,

Fleetz

 

[markis10]

I have heard that mentioned before, I am not sure how Qantas would know that you have left the airport and regardless transit customers are encouraged to leave:

Hong Kong Transit Tour - Hong Kong Tourism Board

 

[Leumas]

In theory, QF is right. In reality, what they don't know won't hurt them.

 

[NM]

There is nothing stopping a transit passenger with the right documents to enter Hong Kong from going landside and experiencing Hong Kong for a day. Your bags should be able to be checked through to CNS from LHR so no need to worry about them at HKG. I have found HKG to be extremely efficient at getting bags onto the correct flights. I have never had a bag go missing through HKG.

But if for some strange reason you can only check them through as far as HKG, then just collect them from the carousel and use one of the free trolleys to wheel them either to the Regal Hotel or to the "Left Luggage Service" outside customs (exit and turn right, its closest to the B exit from the high numbered baggage claims).

 

[Fleetz]

Thanks Guys,

Interesting the Hong Kong Tourist Board is actually inviting you to do it!

Won't at customs it look strange leaving only with the carry on from an international flight??

Regards,

Fleetz

 

[NM]

Won't at customs it look strange leaving only with the carry on from an international flight??

nope, many people do it all the time, either because they have a similar "transit" or because they are only in HKG for a few days. I use a wheelie carry-on and a back-pack for up to a week business trip to Hong Kong. I have also done a similar day transit as you are doing, along with my family - we had 7 of us exit with carry-on bags only, left them at the left baggage service for the day and went sight seeing. As the left luggage service charges per item, we went into the Watsons pharmac_ store and purchased a large zipper storage bag and dumped several smaller items inside (3 kids back packs etc) and saved some money overall.

 

[Mal]

Won't at customs it look strange leaving only with the carry on from an international flight??

Nope! They're pretty used to it. As long as you don't fit certain profiling, or look dodgy then you'll walk straight through.

Entering a country while in transit is against the Qantas Conditions of Carriage. This is to protect them if you're denied entry or don't return to the airport. In practice though, many people do it.

That length of time in Hong Kong airport would drive you insane!

 

[NM]

We arrive from LHR at 7am and depart to Cairns at 11:40pm that day.

Entering a country while in transit is against the Qantas Conditions of Carriage. This is to protect them if you're denied entry or don't return to the airport. In practice though, many people do it.

I assume the onward flight is with Cathay Pacific (CX103 HKG-CNS). The inbound could be either QF or CX as both have arrivals from LHR at 7:10am (QF30 and CX252). However, the fact that this thread title is seeking information about a QF lounge, I assume its the QF inbound.

On several occasions I have had overnight "transits" at HKG on QF-issued tickets. I have never considered not leaving the airport and sleeping in a nearby hotel. I must have done this at least 5 times in HKG and a similar number of times in SIN.

 

[Mal]

On several occasions I have had overnight "transits" at HKG on QF-issued tickets. I have never considered not leaving the airport and sleeping in a nearby hotel. I must have done this at least 5 times in HKG and a similar number of times in SIN.

Yeah I know. It is a little weird - I wouldn't stick around the airport, and in some cases you won't get luggage tagged through when overnight stays are required either! There must be an 'overnight' clause somewhere which over-rules it. At least common sense tells me that!

From the CoC:

10.1 Refusal of Carriage
Even if You have a Ticket and a confirmed reservation, We may refuse to carry You and Your Baggage if any of the following circumstances have occurred or We reasonably believe will occur:
<snip>

• if You ask the relevant government authorities for permission to enter a country in which You have landed as a transit passenger

So it's in there.

One of the interesting things about Hong Kong is that the immigration charge is built into all tickets, so there is no cost difference if you leave the airport or stay. Some other airports have different charges on a ticket for transit vs entering.

 

[Fleetz]

Fantastic information and advise.....thanks.

I have contacted Cathay and they inform me that the bags can be checked at LHR all the way through to Cairns and that I can get my confirmed seat with the CX-103 boarding passes when we arrive back from our transit stay in the airport hotel at the Cathay check in counter.

So we should be all set.

Again thanks for quickly navigating me through the minefield.

Regards,

Fleetz

 

[JohnK]

My question is I can get our luggage checked all the way through to Cairns at LHR with Qantas however they say if we do that we have to stay in the transit area and can not leave the airport. Ideally we don't want to struggle with all our luggage and only need what we have in our carry on for the day. Why can't we simply go through immigration clear customs with our carry on and then return later in the day having already got our boarding passes in LHR at the Qantas check in??

I had a 16:30 hours connection QF->QF in HKG and we had our luggage checked through LHR-HKG-PER. We stayed airside,as we had onward boarding passes, and had some breakfast before heading off for the hotel around 10:00am. If you are in-transit just need to get the transit desk to validate the boarding pass and you get special clearance through security and out through immigration. Got back to the airport around 8:00pm for an 11:30pm departure.

Some people can do it but there is no way I would want to go sightseeing anywhere during a transit especially after a ~12:00 hour flight. Give me a bed and few hours sleep anytime.

 

[openseat]

In the past with a long layover in HKG I've gone through transit security then to the Wing, had a shower and proper meal, then asked at the desk about leaving to go to Hong Kong for the day - they direct you to the right place to go to immigration. You'd have to ensure that the Qantas Club was open if you were going there.
So it seems possible - but be careful that jetlag doesn't overcome you - a friend fell asleep in Hong Kong Park, only to wake up and find that he had 45 minutes before his flight - he didn't make it and had to wait a day. He was in the doghouse at home for months after that slip up!

 

[trooper]

I had an early morning arrival on NZ... and an afternoon departure on CX..

Didn't even try to check the bags through (separate alliances AND tickets!) BUT - and this is not relevant to the OP but interesting nonetheless- CX was happy to take my checked bags that morning... Very impressed.

Dropped carry ons at the left luggage as others have recommended and had time to go into town... get up to the Peak... and take a trip across to Kowloon on the ferry and back... while still leaving plenty of time for my first visit to The Wing...:mrgreen:

It was a good day. Enjoy yourself!