FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - 飞常准 "Very Zhun" Awesome App for China flyers!
Old Apr 25, 2014, 10:49 pm
  #12  
moondog
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,819
Here's my take on this topic:

1) I downloaded the app in question, kept it on my Android for two weeks until it crashed, and subsequently decided to restrict my phone's promiscuity (I'm not blaming this on 飞机准)
2) All of my flights seem to be delayed by at least 1 hour; this is a simple fact of life in China
3) During my tarmac sessions, I enjoy getting play-by-play updates from our OP via Wechat because it helps pass the time...
4) BUT, I've subsequently learned that the number of planes in front of mine has little relevance to my plight
5) Basically, when the lead FA finally announces that we will be taking off at 6:17, that is what is going to happen
6) Similarly, the 9:28 landing slot she broadcasts one hour out is solid data (I used to think that maybe we'd be able to shave 20 minutes off of this because 737s can fly faster than 400 mph, but I no longer have such expectations... they will fly as slow as needed in order to nail the mark)
7) The only resource I know of that actually helps me minimize the pain is flightstats.com
-this allows me to determine the present location of the airplane that is my ride in/out of town
-I don't bother heading to the airport until it is one hour away (because I can get there in 30 minutes)
-DO NOT simply use Google (whatever data provider they use isn't up to speed wrt China flights)
8) I accept the fact that I have no control over departure related variables, though I will say that it's possible to call it quits during any point in the process (e.g. if 3 hours inside a 737 at a remote stand in Guangzhou is your limit, just advise the FAs and they will arrange to have a car sent to the plane to pick you up)
moondog is offline