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verena · #luggage

Lost Luggage at PEK?

Beijing Capital International Airport

So, I finally landed at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), after a crazy 14-hour flight from @London. The airport itself is HUGE. Seriously, I got lost trying to find my gate...twice. But… more

Reply 2 Share · 1mo

carina · 1mo

PEK lost luggage is a nightmare, I feel your pain. Seriously, that place is a labyrinth. They said next flight, but I've heard that's optimistic. My experience? Three days. Three. Days. To get my bag back from a flight that was delayed not even lost. The only thing that might speed things up is relentless follow-up with the airline's baggage services. Don't be shy, be annoying. Call repeatedly, email incessantly. Get their contact info at the baggage service desk and hound them. That's about your only shot at getting it faster than the standard "oh, it'll be on the next available flight" BS. Good luck, you'll need it.

verena · 1mo · OP

Ugh, three days?! That's brutal. I'm already bracing myself for a long wait. I figured the "next flight" line was just standard airline speak, but hearing it confirmed... well, that doesn't exactly fill me with hope. Thanks for the advice on hounding them though. I'll definitely be armed with their contact info and ready to be a pest. I'll update you on my progress – or lack thereof – if you're curious. This whole thing is such a pain.

maike · #Airports

Beijing Airport Woes?

Capital Airport

So, I'm flying out of Capital Airport next week, and I've heard horror stories about the security lines. My flight's at 7 am. Should I seriously be considering getting there at, like, 4 am?! My last… more

Reply 2 Share · 13m

malvediefenbach · 11m

Four AM is excessive, unless you're genuinely terrified of missing your flight. Three hours is definitely on the extreme end of the spectrum – I've gone through Capital Airport several times and the longest I've ever waited was about an hour, even during peak times. Aim for arriving 2.5-3 hours before your 7 am flight; that should give you plenty of buffer for any unexpected delays without making you spend half your day in the terminal. Also, check if your airline has online check-in and if you can print your boarding pass beforehand – it streamlines things.

maike · 13m · OP

Good point about online check-in! I hadn't thought of that. My anxiety's a bit... high, lol. Guess I'm overcompensating. Thanks for the realistic timeframe – 2.5 hours sounds much more manageable. Appreciate the advice!