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Booking Tips for Air Passengers

  • Booking Air Tickets

1. Airlines sell different types of tickets fares with various terms and conditions. Passengers should check these terms and conditions and the respective restrictions before choosing the type of ticket. Most airlines have a website that provides information on the conditions of carriage, which generally describes the obligation of the airline and that of the passenger, such as the circumstances under which a ticket will be refunded, items which will incur extra charges, etc.

2. When comparing the ticket prices of different airlines, consider the total price of the ticket, which includes all applicable taxes, fees, charges and surcharges. Also take note that some Low Cost Carriers may add to the headline price fees for items such as baggage and meals while conventional airlines do not.

3. Double-check the booking details (flight date, time, passenger's name, etc.) before confirming the booking. Once a ticket is confirmed or issued, airlines usually impose additional charges for changes, depending on the type of ticket.

4. The procurement of an air ticket normally means the establishment of an air transportation contract between a passenger and an airline. Both have their rights and duties outlined in the terms and conditions of the ticket. Passengers should read these terms and conditions carefully before purchase.

  • Price and Charges

1. The ticket price usually consists of taxes, fees, charges and surcharges where applicable. Price details should be displayed by airlines during the booking process.

2. Common taxes, fees, charges and surcharges for passengers departing from Hong Kong International Airport include HKSAR Air Passenger Departure Tax, carrier surcharges and any charges collected by the destination airport.

3. Each airline has its own fees and charges stipulated in the terms and conditions. For instance, some airlines impose extra charges on hold baggage, sports equipment and musical instruments.

  • Code Share Flights

1. A code share flight is one operated by an airline and simultaneously marketed by itself and another airline under each of their own flight numbers. Sometimes a single flight may be marketed by two or three airlines, in which case the flight will be simultaneously sold under the distinctive flight numbers of each of these airlines. Airlines have the responsibility to inform their passengers when the flight they are selling is operated by another airline.

2. It is important to know whose terms and conditions will apply when a flight is operated as a code share flight since the baggage allowance, passengers’ rights in cases such as flight delays and cancellations, etc. may vary under different airlines’ terms and conditions. Please contact the agent or airline concerned direct for details.

Important point

When booking a ticket, it is important for passengers to note the terms and conditions provided in the airlines website. If the information is considered insufficient or if in doubt, always seek clarification from the airline concerned.

  • Other Useful Links

1. Travel Health Service, Department of Health

2. Outbound Travel Alert System, Security Bureau

3. Registration of Outboard Travel Information ("ROTI")

Packing Tips for Air Passengers

- Baggage Allowance
- Security Restricted Articles
- Restrictions on carriage of Liquids, Gels, Aerosols (LAG) in cabin baggage
- Restrictions on Dangerous Goods
- Carriage of Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) Containing Lithium Batteries
- Damaged, defective or recalled lithium batteries or devices
- Smart Luggage

  • Baggage Allowance

Please contact your airline concerned direct for details.
  • Security Restricted Articles

The following security restricted articles are prohibited from carriage as hold baggage and cabin baggage.

Apart from the restrictions on carriage of baggage as shown on this page, air passengers shall also observe other requirements relating to the possession of restricted items, such as stun gun, within the territory of Hong Kong. For details please visit the Hong Kong Police Force's webpage: Advice to Visitors.

A. Security Restricted Articles - Hold Baggage

Explosive or incendiary substances, devices or articles capable of being used to cause serious injury or threatening the safety of the aircraft including:
  • *ammunition;
  • blasting caps;
  • detonators and fuses;
  • mines, grenades and other explosive military stores;
  • pyrotechnics, including fireworks;
  • smoke-generating canisters or cartridges; and
  • dynamite, gunpowder and plastic explosives


*If the possession of such ammunition (in Hong Kong) by a passenger is lawful, he/she may make arrangements with his/her airline for its transportation as hold baggage on a flight from Hong Kong. The handling of such are strictly in accordance with the requirements of the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 and under conditions specified in the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Doc 9284).

B. Security Restricted Articles - Cabin Baggage

Category 1 - Guns, firearms and other devices that discharge projectile
Devices designed to cause serious injury by discharging a projectile, or capable of being mistaken for such devices, including:

  • firearms of all types, including pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns;
  • toy guns, replicas and imitation firearms capable of being mistaken for real weapons, such as gun lighters;
  • component parts of firearms (excluding telescopic sights);
  • compressed air and CO2 guns, including pistols, pellet guns, rifles and ball bearing guns;
  • signal flare pistols and starter pistols;
  • bows, cross bows and arrows;
  • harpoon guns and spear guns; and
  • slingshots and catapults.

Category 2 - Stunning devices
Devices designed specifically to stun or immobilize, including:

  • devices for shocking, such as stun guns and stun batons;
  • animal stunners and animal killers; and
  • disabling and incapacitating chemicals, gases and sprays, such as mace, pepper or capsicum spray, tear gas, acid sprays and animal repellent sprays

Category 3 - Objects with sharp points or sharp edges
Objects with a sharp point or sharp edge capable of being used to cause serious injury, including:

  • items designed for chopping, such as axes, hatchets and cleavers;
  • ice axes and ice picks;
  • ice skates;
  • razor blades, open razors (except safety or disposable razors with blades enclosed in cartridge), utility knives and box cutters;
  • lockable or flick knives with blades of any length;
  • knives, with blades of any length, made of metal or any other material strong enough to be used as a potential weapon (except knives with round ended blunt tip);
  • scissors with blades of more than 6cm as measured from the fulcrum;
  • martial arts equipment with sharp points or sharp edges;
  • swords and sabres;
  • darts; and
  • ski poles.

Category 4 - Worker's tools
Tools capable of being used either to cause serious injury or to threaten the safety of aircraft, including:

  • crowbars;
  • drills and drill bits, including cordless portable power drills;
  • tools with blades or shafts more than 6 cm capable of use as weapons, such as screwdrivers, chisels;
  • saws, including cordless portable power saws;
  • blowtorches;
  • bolt guns and nail guns;
  • hammers;
  • pliers; and
  • wrenches / spanners.


Category 5 - Blunt instruments
Objects capable of being used to cause serious injury when used to hit, including:

  • baseball and softball bats;
  • billiard and pool cues;
  • cricket bats, hockey sticks and lacrosse sticks;
  • golf clubs;
  • clubs and batons, such as billy clubs, blackjacks and night sticks; and
  • martial arts equipment, including knuckledusters, clubs, coshes, rice flails, num chucks, kubatons, kubasaunts.


Category 6 - Explosives and incendiary substances and devices
Explosive or incendiary substances or devices capable of being used to cause serious injury or threatening the safety of the aircraft, including:

  • ammunition;
  • blasting caps;
  • detonators and fuses;
  • replica or imitation explosive devices;
  • mines, grenades and other explosive military stores;
  • pyrotechnics including fireworks, party poppers, toy caps;
  • smoke-generating canisters or cartridges; and
  • dynamite, gunpowder and plastic explosives.


Please note the examples on the above list are not exhaustive in nature. Some airlines and destination / transit countries may also have additional requirements on carriage of security restricted items by passengers. Passengers are advised to contact relevant airline and authorities for further details and assistance.
  • Restrictions on carriage of Liquids, Gels, Aerosols (LAG) in cabin baggage

The Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has implemented security measures for screening liquids, gels and aerosol starting from March 21, 2007 to comply with the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

The security measures for cabin baggage at HKIA include:

  1. All liquids, gels, aerosols in cabin baggage have to be carried in containers with a capacity not greater than 100 ml. Liquids, gels, aerosols carried in containers larger than 100 ml will not be accepted, even if the container is only part-filled.
    All liquids, gels, aerosols in cabin baggage have to be carried in containers with a capacity not greater than 100 ml. Liquids, gels, aerosols carried in containers larger than 100 ml will not be accepted, even if the container is only part-filled.
  2. Containers have to be placed in a transparent re-sealable plastic bag of a maximum capacity not exceeding one litre. The containers must fit comfortably within the transparent plastic bag, which should be completely closed.
    Containers have to be placed in a transparent re-sealable plastic bag of a maximum capacity not exceeding one litre. The containers must fit comfortably within the transparent plastic bag, which should be completely closed.
  3. The plastic bag has to be presented separately from other cabin baggage for visual examination at the screening point. Only one transparent plastic bag per passenger is permitted.
    The plastic bag has to be presented separately from other cabin baggage for visual examination at the screening point.
  4. Exemptions will be made for medications, baby milk / food and special dietary requirements subject to verification.

For frequently asked questions regarding the restrictions on the carriage of liquids, gels and aerosols cabin baggage, please click here.
  • Restrictions on Dangerous Goods

Dangerous Goods are articles or substances which are capable of posing a hazard to health, safety, property or the environment when transported by air. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) classified dangerous goods in 9 classes, which are:

Class 1
Explosives
Class 2
Gases
Class 3
Flammable liquids
Class 4
Flammable solids; substances liable to spontaneous combustion; substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases
Class 5
Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides
Class 6
Toxic and infectious substances
Class 7
Radioactive material
Class 8
Corrosive substances
Class 9
Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles

As a passenger, it is an offence under the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 (Cap.448C) to take dangerous goods (except for certain dangerous goods in very small quantity and in special condition) on board an aircraft. The law restricts the type and quantity of dangerous goods allowed to be carried by passengers, because they can be a danger to you and the aircraft in flight due to temperature and pressure difference.

For more details regarding the provisions for dangerous goods carried by air passengers, please click here.

  • Carriage of Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) Containing Lithium Batteries

If PEDs containing lithium batteries (such as laptop / tablet computer) are carried in checked baggage:

  • measures must be taken to prevent unintentional activation and to protect the devices from damage; and
  • the devices must be completely switched off (not in sleep or hibernation mode)

  • Damaged, defective or recalled lithium batteries or devices

To ensure aviation safety, passengers are reminded not to transport on aircraft any lithium batteries or devices containing such batteries, which are damaged, identified to be defective, or recalled by manufacturer for safety reasons due to potential fire hazard.

  • Smart Luggage

Please refer to Section (I) of Packing Tips for Air Passenger PDF (PDF: 398KB) for guidance on smart luggage with lithium batteries.


Air Passenger Departure Tax

  • Current Rate and Exemption of the Air Passenger Departure Tax

The current rate of the Air Passenger Departure Tax is HK$120 per passenger (12 years of age or above) departing by air from Hong Kong through Hong Kong International Airport, or by helicopter from Hong Kong at the Heliport at the Hong Kong - Macau Ferry Terminal. Pursuant to the Air Passenger Departure Tax Ordinance (Cap. 140), a passenger under 12 years of age is exempt from the tax. With effect from April 1, 1999, passengers who arrive and depart from Hong Kong by air within the same day are also exempted from the tax. For all categories of exemption, please refer to the Second Schedule of the Ordinance.

  • Collecting the Tax

Air passengers will have to pay the Air Passenger Departure Tax when they buy air ticket from the airlines, travel agents or helicopter companies. Airlines normally will not collect departure tax at the check-in counter unless it has not been collected upon issue of air tickets.

  • Refund of the Tax for Unused Air Ticket

Under the Air Passenger Departure Tax Ordinance (Cap. 140), passengers who have paid Air Passenger Departure Tax upon purchase of air tickets but eventually have not departed from Hong Kong by air are eligible for full refund of tax paid. They are required to apply tax refund from the airlines, travel agents or helicopter companies, and no charge shall be payable for such refund. The Civil Aviation Department has prepared a set of guidelines on refund arrangements of Air Passenger Departure Tax for airlines' reference.

  • Applying for Refund for Eligible Exemption

  1. Sea-to-air passengers (passengers who arrive at Hong Kong International Airport by cross boundary ferry service for onward departure from Hong Kong by air).

    With effect from 26 April 2005, same day cash refund of advance payment of departure tax is available at the Sky Pier at Hong Kong International Airport. Passengers who have been issued Refund Coupons upon check-in at the cross boundary ferry pier but have not collected the refund at the Sky Pier Refund Counter on the same day of travel shall contact the airlines concerned directly for the refund. Passengers who have not been issued Refund Coupons can apply by post only (please refer to the following paragraph (ii. b.) for the application procedures) to the Civil Aviation Department for tax refund.
  2. Other passengers

    a. Passenger may apply in person for refund in cash at the Civil Aviation Department's (CAD) 'Air Passenger Departure Tax’ Counter located at Aisle D, Level 7, Departure Hall, Terminal 1 of the Hong Kong International Airport upon production of all the following documents:

    1. tax payment evidence (i.e. original air ticket / original helicopter ticket / e-ticket which indicates that Hong Kong APDT has been paid);
    2. original boarding pass of the above departure flight (for the airline passenger only);
    3. original ferry ticket bearing passenger's name (only for sea-to-air passengers); and
    4. relevant documents to support of the claim to exemption.

    As it takes time to process refund applications at the counter, passengers should allow sufficient time for the refund applications after check-in.

  3. Passenger may also apply by post for refund in cheque by forwarding the duly completed "Air Passenger Departure Tax (APDT) Application for Refund PDF (PDF: 382KB)" form together with all the required documents within 4 weeks of departure of the flight to:

    Revenue Section, Finance Division
    Civil Aviation Department
    Level 5, Office Building
    Civil Aviation Department Headquarters
    1 Tung Fai Road
    Hong Kong International Airport
    Lantau
    Hong Kong

    If the passenger has difficulty in depositing the Hong Kong dollar cheque in his / her bank account, please refer to Note (ii) of "Air Passenger Departure Tax (APDT) Application for Refund PDF (PDF: 382KB)" form for alternative payment arrangements.


  • Enquiry on Air Passenger Departure Tax

You may raise any enquiries about Air Passenger Departure Tax, including application for refund, by:

(a) calling telephone no.: 2910 6242;
(b) sending an e-mail to: enquiry@cad.gov.hk; or
(c) writing to: Revenue Section, Finance Division, Civil Aviation Department, Level 5, Office Building, Civil Aviation Department Headquarters, 1 Tung Fai Road, Hong Kong International Airport, Lantau, Hong Kong.