I’m looking into a flight from Fukuoka (FUK) to Bangkok (BKK). One of the choice is Air China CA954 FUK-PEK-BKK. However there is a stop in Dalian for 1:15 hrs. Do I have to deplane, go through security and board the same plane? Or I just sit and wait on the same plane. I’m worry as this looks like Dalian is the port of entry and anything more than simple security check I would not be back on plane on time.
For a flight with a stop (the same plane with the same flight number) in China, you would have to deplane, go through immigration checks (in Dalian), and re-board the same aircraft. There is no need to go through security again.
For this reason, you need to have a Chinese visa or other travel facility (e.g., visa-free transit or visa on arrival) that allows you to make the Dalian-Beijing journey, regardless of what happens to your bags. The 24-hour visa-free transit does not apply (since you will enter and leave China at different ports); but the 240-hour visa-free transit policy may apply (but always check for the latest policy): both Dalian and Beijing are within the permitted areas of stay.
If Beijing is your final destination, or if your bags are not checked through to another non-Mainland destination:
After you arrive in Beijing, you need to then go to the international baggage pick up area.
You will go through customs for baggage inspection (green or red lanes as appropriate) and then you can check in and go through security for your next flight.
Note that there will also be domestic passengers on the plane (for Dalian-Beijing leg) whose baggage will not be in the same baggage carousel in a different arrival area.
Generally, you may get a card or a sticker identifying you as an international arrival and asked to take a shuttle to the international terminal/area. Ask for directions from the airlines staff when you are not sure.
If the bags are checked through to BKK:
I cannot advise certainly on what will happen. Most likely, you will still go with other international arrival passengers to the international arrival area (T3-E probably). Then you will ask the airport/customs staff to go to the international departure area; depending on the arrangement of the day, you may be permitted to go to the transit desks within the international customs area. However, you will most likely still need to go through security checks (since you have entered non-secure area: you could have picked up something from a checked bag).
When booking on Air China, under the list of flights, you can find the following text:
If you choose to take an international (or regional) flight, or a connecting flight that includes an international (or regional) flight, please be sure to confirm with the immigration authorities, in advance, that your passport and visa information conforms to the international (or regional) entry and exit requirements for the departure location, transit stop location, and destination. If the flight includes a transit stop in China, please confirm, in advance, the entry and exit procedures and the visa exemption policy with the immigration authorities to avoid affecting your journey.
For example: For flight CA953 (Beijing-transit stop at Dalian-Fukuoka), Chinese exit procedures are handled at Dalian (the transit stop location); for flight CA156 (Sendai-transit stop at Shanghai Pudong-Beijing), Chinese entry procedures are handled at Shanghai (the transit stop location).
(emphasis mine)
This seems to confirm that you will have to go through Chinese immigration in Dalian. I have no recent experience with Chinese immigration so I don't know if this is realistic or not. The Minimum Connection Times for DLC (from Expertflyer) go like this:
STANDARD.D/D...D/I...I/D...I/I.
ONLINE .30 1.00 1.30 1.30
OFFLINE .30 1.00 1.30 1.30
** OR * ARE ALL
CA-CA ID 3.00 CDS ** - **
CA-CA ID 2.00 FLT 5001 - 8000 - ALL
CA-CA ID 1.30
**-CA ID 3.00 CDS N/A - **
**-CA ID 2.00
CA-** ID 3.00 CDS ** - N/A
CA-** ID 2.00 FLT 5001 - 8000 - ALL
CA-** ID 2.00
Which means the International-to-Domestic MCT is 1h30. I fail to understand how they sell this connection, though the booking system may be confused by the fact it's the same flight number and a "transit stop" and fail to check the MCT.
The good news is that there are two further flights after this one if you miss the second leg of CA954 (and you have a loooooooot of time to waste in PEK before your ongoing connection to BKK), but that may affect your plans for the evening/night in PEK. Hopefully they would be able to rebook you on the flight just one hour later, but if not, the next two flights are quite some time later.
