There are three types of flight connection. One is called "transfer", which means passengers connect to different flight numbers in a certain stopover point. The transfer point is normailly a hub of the national carriers. For example, Taipei is the transfer point for its national airliners, like China Airlines and Eva Airways. These airlines serve domestic routes for passengers transfering to Kaohsiung. For those who want to connect next flight to other airlines need to follow the "Transfer" sign" to the transfer counter of the connecting carriers to check-in, or in US, you need to find the boarding gate of the connect flight to do check-in at the gate entrance prior to 45 minutes before departure to ensure your check-inbaggage transfer smoothly and your travel documents to be recheck to avoid deportation. After the check-in procedures, hand baggage needs to go throught security inspection again.
嚴格的說，轉機共有三種形式，第一種是不同航班的轉機，旅客在某個轉機點作不同航班的轉機，而轉機點常見的是該國籍航空的樞紐，例如：台北是國籍航空如華航和長榮的轉機點，它們把轉機國內的客人帶到高雄。轉機客人從他航下機後，要隨著＂transer"的標示走到轉機櫃台，重新辦理報到，或是如美國，轉機客人要找到次個轉機登機門辦理報到。這樣的報到都必須在班機起飛前四十五分鐘前，以確保拖運行李安全轉運，以及重驗旅行證件，避免被驅逐出境。辦完登記手續後，手提行李要再經過一次安全檢查。
Another is called "transit". This usually happens in the same flight which en route stopover to many destinations. Like MH095 flight route is from KUL-TPE-LAX, for those passengers who stopover in TPE need to take a transit pass for reboarding. Passengers normally have their tickets lifted up in the their departure point, the transit pass stands for the ticket for the connection flight. In some cases, passengers can stay in the cabin without descending from the flight for transit. It depends on the policy of the nation and the airliner. For security reason and cabin clearning esay, passengers are required to get off the plane.
另外一種稱為＂同航班轉機＂，通常發生在同一航班途經許多航點的情況。如馬來西亞航空MH095，從吉隆坡到台北，再到美國洛杉磯，旅客在台北轉機，就是transit。通常這種旅客在台北下機後，要拿一張轉機卡，作為再登機之用。旅客的機票在起站時，就被撕走，轉機卡等同於銜接航班的機票。有時，根據該國的政策或航空公司的規定，同航班轉機的旅客可以待在機上，不用下機，但為了安全的理由和客艙清潔的因素，旅客是會被要求下機的
The last one is called "stopover night", which means the passengers cannot connect their flights at the same day to their destinations. To increase competitiveness, aviation comapnies serve a free stopover night transfer for passengers who cannot connect their flight in the same day.
2008-11-25 09:47:07 補充
另一種稱之為隔夜轉機，也就是旅客無法在同一天轉機到他們的目的地。航空公司為提高競爭力，提供這類旅客免費的住宿。
