Traveller Stranded by Confusing Transit Regulation
A holiday plan turned into a logistical nightmare for one passenger who was denied boarding on a flight from Osaka to Hong Kong due to a misunderstood travel rule. The incident, reported by One Mile At A Time, occurred on October 20th and involved a traveller holding a Vietnamese passport and a Hungarian resident card.
She had booked a single ticket for her journey from Osaka to Hong Kong with HK Express. On the same day, she planned to continue her travels on a separate ticket with Cathay Pacific, flying from Hong Kong to Doha, and then onwards to Budapest.
A Frustrating Standoff at the Gate
Despite having successfully checked in and received boarding passes for both segments of her journey, the passenger was stopped at the gate in Osaka by HK Express staff. The airline insisted she would not be permitted to enter Hong Kong because she lacked a visa.
This created a confusing situation, as it is generally permissible to transit through Hong Kong on two separate tickets if the passenger remains in the international transit area, or 'airside', and does not pass through immigration.
Gabor, the passenger's fiancé, recounted the frustrating exchange to One Mile At A Time. "First they said they need a confirmed ticket for the onward journey from HKG. When we showed the ticket, they changed their stance and wanted a boarding pass, then from that they quickly changed to that they want a Cathay Pacific boarding pass," he explained.
Even when the Cathay Pacific boarding pass was presented, the airline ultimately refused to let her board. Gabor noted that the Japanese ground agents for HK Express were polite but were acting on instructions from their Hong Kong-based centre.
Last-Minute Ticket Purchase Saves the Day
With time running out to resolve the issue, a costly solution was the only option. "Since we couldn’t resolve the issue in time, I had to buy a separate ticket to my fiancée, then I used my original ticket," Gabor stated. This last-minute purchase allowed his fiancée to continue her journey, but the experience highlights a significant risk for travellers.
This case underscores a critical point for all flyers: visa requirements can be complex and are not waived simply because you are transiting. Hong Kong's immigration website provides specific regulations based on a traveller's nationality, and it is the passenger's responsibility to verify these rules beforehand.
For instance, British citizens can typically visit Hong Kong visa-free for up to 180 days, but this does not apply to all passports. On its website, HK Express states, "Under some circumstances, you may also have to obtain a visa... it is your responsibility to verify and obtain what you and all members of your party need prior to making a booking."
This incident is one of millions where passengers are denied boarding annually. A recent study by Go.Compare, analysing Civil Aviation Authority data, found that around 6.6 million people are denied boarding each year, with overbooked flights being a primary cause.
