Long haul flights ex-pvg generally experience minimal delays, as long as their flight plans don't include PEK (common for Europe flights).

@sts: The counter people honestly don't have more information than the rest of us until a takeoff slot is confirmed.

I missed a flight this time last year due to no delay information then sudden boarding with my back to the gate. I learned my lesson and now never do that.

Good thinking^@:-) IME, when a flight is delayed for ~8 hours and finally starts boarding, the window to get things done tends to be relatively short/sudden.

Following are measures I take to address this situation:

1. Check baggage (a bit of a double edge sword because checking baggage limits your ability to switch to a different flight, but your plane is less likely to leave without you if they have your bags)

2. Ask the counter people for status updates every 30 minutes or so
-don't be frustrated when they are unable to offer any information; they always come through in the end
-there is little point in checking mobile apps or calling the airline/TA; the counter people will get relevant info first

3. Provide your cell phone number to the counter people

Took an 8:30 am flight Sha-Pek last week. Ended up arriving at 2pm. Took a 7:30 am flight pek-sha a few days later and got back around 1pm. Later flights were delayed much worse or cancelled both days. Anyone doing a Beijing-Shanghai trip would be well advised to take the train until September. Sha-Can may also be train worthy these days despite the 8 hour travel time.

Can you explain the bolded text?

Summer weather is the main reason behind the delays every summer (thunderstorms in East China mainly but sometimes Beijing as well).

These tend to stop in September/October when both Beijing and Shanghai have their best weather, dry and warm.

This is why we generally only talk about delays during summer months. 2-3 hour delays are common in other seasons, but the 8+ hour variety is annoying enough to prompt venting.

No matter what time of the year, I often prefer to take the train in China (unless I do have a connection Ex-PEK/PVG/NKG/CAN) - unless there are good reasons to prefer taking a flight (F deeply discounted, no good train option on that route, dirt cheap Eco fare, the airport actually being convenient for where I'm going) - that doesn't take into account delays actually.

http://www.scmp.com/business/article...prising-reason

Although I think the Paracel Islands military exercises this week won't shut any Chinese airpsace except those near Hainan.

Writing editorials opposing the PLA is all well and good, but reading them isn't a productive use of time IMO. :D

My brain shut down once they started talking about that joke of a presumptive Republican presidential nominee in the US. What's he got to do with China's flight delays? Oh yeah, nothing. :p

It's sad how far the SCMP has tumbled; it used to be a solid newspaper.

Interestingly, it was most solid during the Murdoch days, presumably because he transferred in real journalists.

This.

China’s aviation watchdog slams Hangzhou airport ahead of G20 world leaders summit
 

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/socie...head-g20-world

"Air traffic controllers, bad weather and poor management of airlines were to blame for nearly 80 per cent of flight delays last year, the aviation regulator was quoted by China Central Television as saying. Authorities also admitted that military activities were a contributing factor, accounting for some 13 per cent of the delays.

It is an open secret that the PLA Air Force controls most of the country’s airspace. The lack of progress in flight punctuality over the past months was believed to have been closely linked to China’s growing assertiveness in conducting military drills and exercises."