I am travelling from Sydney - Hong Kong on Virgin and then Hong Kong - Tokyo on HK Express booked on seperate tickets. I have 4 hours to transit in Hong Kong.
Can anyone help with what will be required to transit?
will i need to clear immigration and collect my bags and check in with HK Express or can i collect my bags before immigration and check in.
As Hong Kong Express is a VA partner you should be able to get ticketed from Sydney all the way through to Tokyo, and your bags too. If that can't be done you will need to collect your bags, go into the public area of the terminal and check in for the HK Express flight just like any other passenger. If VA can get you and your bags checked through to Tokyo then transiting HKG is pretty straightforward and there's a really excellent article about that here which can save you a lot of time https://www.ausbt.com.au/fast-track-your-transit-at-hong-kong-airport
I can't comment on the seamlessness etc of Virgin through-checking bags (I've never tried this) - but I frequently (around every 6 weeks) use HK Express to travel to Tokyo from HKG after arriving from Sydney via usually QF or CX and once VA as my daughter lives in Tokyo. Transit is easy as AsiaBizTraveller points out and I agree entirely this works seamlessly for me as I usually have only carry-on. I just show my mobile Boarding Pass for HK Express at transit security and you can be between your arrival gate and the departure floor within 10 mins usually.
I've had no major issues in general with HK Express and you should be absolutely fine for time with 4 hours to transit (regardless of whether you need to collect your bags), but my biggest gripe is that they're really a LCC carrier - aircraft are new, service is good and staff are professional, however you'll be summonsed to the boarding gate in HKG at least 1 hr before departure, wait in a huge queue to board a tarmac bus, then wait at the aircraft in the middle of the airfield for another 20 mins to board, before departing 20-30 mins later. The whole process takes forever - and is repeated in reverse at the other end in Narita or Haneda.
You'll certainly get there - but you may leave feeling a little frustrated it took much longer than you were expecting!
I had this issue a few months back when I was transiting there on separate tickets and everything can be sorted airside.
There are two transit deals - Cathay and everyone else. Find the hk airways desk and if you give them your baggage receipt they may be able to intercept your bags before they are sent to the carousel. Get there as fast as you can after disembarking.
I've had bags checked through to Beijing via HK on separate tix with virgin, but took a bit of persuasion at check in. Just need to pick up new boarding pass at transfer desk and show them baggage receipt.
Jayt5169
Jayt5169
Member since 08 Aug 2018
Total posts 7
Hi
Pcoder
Pcoder
Member since 14 Oct 2016
Total posts 25
AsiaBizTraveller
AsiaBizTraveller
Member since 20 Nov 2015
Total posts 43
As Hong Kong Express is a VA partner you should be able to get ticketed from Sydney all the way through to Tokyo, and your bags too. If that can't be done you will need to collect your bags, go into the public area of the terminal and check in for the HK Express flight just like any other passenger. If VA can get you and your bags checked through to Tokyo then transiting HKG is pretty straightforward and there's a really excellent article about that here which can save you a lot of time https://www.ausbt.com.au/fast-track-your-transit-at-hong-kong-airport
iNfLuX
iNfLuX
Member since 29 Oct 2018
Total posts 1
Hi Jayt,
ding0
ding0
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 25 Feb 2017
Total posts 8
I had this issue a few months back when I was transiting there on separate tickets and everything can be sorted airside.
jch
jch
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 15 Nov 2017
Total posts 143
I've had bags checked through to Beijing via HK on separate tix with virgin, but took a bit of persuasion at check in. Just need to pick up new boarding pass at transfer desk and show them baggage receipt.