New exit-entry regulations announced by China’s State Council have not yet taken effect, but travelers are already reporting additional screening at Hong Kong International Airport for some passengers arriving from mainland China and transferring to flights bound for the United States.
According to one traveler, passengers who had completed their transfer procedures and reached the departure gate were still required to line up for document checks and questioning before being allowed into the boarding area.
Additional Screening Before U.S.-Bound Flights
A traveler who recently flew with his family of four from Shanghai to Los Angeles via Hong Kong posted a video describing what he encountered.
After completing their transfer procedures, the family arrived outside the gate for their Los Angeles flight and saw passengers lining up for additional checks. Metal barriers had been placed around the waiting area, and passengers were required to answer questions before being allowed inside.
The traveler said staff examined their passports and boarding passes and asked where they had arrived in Hong Kong from.
He said he found the questioning unusual because questions about a traveler’s previous whereabouts and length of stay are more commonly associated with U.S. immigration inspections upon arrival. In this case, however, the questioning took place before boarding in Hong Kong.
According to the traveler, staff also asked whether their luggage had ever been out of their sight, whether any electronic devices had been repaired, where in mainland China they had traveled from, and how long they had stayed there.
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