First time flying through Hong Kong

[MassageDrew]

I was wondering if anyone have any tips connecting through Hong Kong airport? First time flying with Cathay Pacific (same airline for both legs of the trip) from Chicago to Manila with connecting flight in Hong Kong. I have 90 minutes between flights. Is that enough? I understand that I have to go to a security checkpoint before going to my connect flight. I'm flying alone and light, and I walk relatively fast. But I'm always at the mercy of those in front of me especially when disembarking a plane. Any recommendations?

[CuriousByNature]

4 hours ago, MassageDrew said:

I was wondering if anyone have any tips connecting through Hong Kong airport? First time flying with Cathay Pacific (same airline for both legs of the trip) from Chicago to Manila with connecting flight in Hong Kong. I have 90 minutes between flights. Is that enough? I understand that I have to go to a security checkpoint before going to my connect flight. I'm flying alone and light, and I walk relatively fast. But I'm always at the mercy of those in front of me especially when disembarking a plane. Any recommendations?

I'm not familiar with the HK airport, but as a rule of thumb, I try to get a seat as far forward as possible if I'm in Economy, but not the first row because there is no place to store a bag under the seat - since there is no seat in front of you.  I also try to sit on the aisle if I have a tight connection so that I can get up as soon as allowed and get my carryon quickly to deplane.  When timing is really tight, I've been driven to the connecting gate on one of those buggies, and staff have even taken me to the front of the line at security - though I've only had to do that once.  I think it was at O'Hare with a ridiculously short connection time due to my first flight having a delay.

[mike carey]

As a rule of thumb if an airline sells you a connecting flight, especially through their home base the connection should be fine, and CX does heaps of HKG connections. I can't speak specifically to Chek Lap Kok, but some airports do have security checks for connecting pax, but not all. Sydney does.

Like Curious, I've had airline staff assist with a tight connection. Mine was domestic to international terminals on QF connecting flights in Melbourne. No buggy, it was a walk but they knew exactly where to go, and that helped the half dozen affected pax. (I even had time to go to the QF1 lounge.)

Most likely you'll be fine, and being CX the agents at the connecting flight will be aware there are pax (well at least one) from your flight if it's delayed. You shouldn't have any problems. 

[mike carey]

Following up almost 12 months later, and I was wondering how your experience went at HK, @MassageDrew?

Since then, I've flown from Sydney to LAX on Cathay, and the transfer was smooth. Some cautions though, the terminal is massive. With the number of flights, the indicator boards are very busy, scrolling through successive screens of departures, so you have to pay attention. They are also in both Chinese (standard and simplified characters) and English, so that's another level of complexity. I opened my flight in the Cathay app as a confirmation check, not to accept it over the screens or vice versa, but to see if they matched. I had several hours, so I had plenty of time to stop, take a breath, and continue, and for a pit stop in the Deck (yeah, showing off).

And yes, there is a security check between the arrival and departure concourses for transit passengers.

I'll be back there next month flying to and from the Palm Springs weekend.

[+ nycman]

5 hours ago, mike carey said:

….and for a pit stop in the Deck (yeah, showing off).

Let me know when you’re hanging out in the Cathay first class lounge in Hong Kong. It’s sexy as fuck.

(subtle flex)

Honestly, I haven’t been to that airport in over a decade and I’ll probably never return. China scares me.

You’re right though the airport is huge and at times it’s massively confusing.

[MassageDrew]

Hi guys.  Sorry,  I had to move my trip to this year.  I just got back, but I ended up flying United since I had mileage points to use. I ended up flying from Chicago to San Francisco then to Manila, and vice versa.