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Posts: 200

Shifu

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Q: What does it mean when a flight is delayed "due to air traffic control"?

I'm taking a domestic flight in China and it has been delayed because of air traffic control management or something like that. What does that even mean? Is someone not doing their job properly?

10 years 30 weeks ago in  Transport & Travel - China

 
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Emperor

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it could mean anything: weather, flight lanes all backed up because of an earlier flight delay, someone important almost missing the flight. it could be a way of getting out of paying compensation. I was once delayed on a flight from Amsterdam to Beijing by flat tyre on the plane. The captain kept the passengers fully informed, and the staff were on hand to give refreshments, and the new estimated time of departure was met. This was followed by an email the next day apologising for the inconvenience. Contrasting this with a 5 hour delay in China where there was no information other than the changing information on the screen....

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10 years 30 weeks ago
 
Posts: 747

Shifu

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The Chinese air space is controlled by the PLA air force. They have alloted a measly 20% to commercial purposes. The congestion is caused by the above that due to the over crowding of this 20% it becomes to dangerous to allow more planes on certain routes that overlap other routes. As soon as the Air Force loosens controls on the airspace more and more flights will be delayed.

Red_Fox:

You are spot on. A most reasonable and truthful answer. It is indeed the air force (read gubment) that controls the air space and they can do whatever the heck they like with commercial flights to suit the needs - and often capricious needs - of the AF and said gubment. Say, for example, Mr. Big needs to fly from X to Y. Flight lanes are suddenly and without advance notice closed to the commercial airlines so Mr. Big can get to his appointment with his concubine or lacky waiting with the red envelop in tow on time.

Kidding aside, the air space is regulated to serve national interests (i.e. the interests of a few - oh, but I'm kidding again) over the interests of ordinary citizens who pay dear money to fly in overcrowded planes which are delayed thanks to the Chosen Few. (Another kidding.)

And by the way, to the OP: the stock announcement is "due to air traffic congestion" - I believe.

10 years 30 weeks ago
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Red_Fox:

And that begs the question: how many effin' airplanes does the AF have occupying the sorely needed air space for commercial flights, fer crying out loud? And another question: Why don't you see small, privately owned aircraft and TV news/police helicopters in the sky? What is there to be afraid of...?

10 years 30 weeks ago
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Hulk:

Red_Fox,

 

Does that mean I really am a CCP spy after all?  I never get delayed in Chinese airports.

10 years 30 weeks ago
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Red_Fox:

@Hulk: Never?

10 years 30 weeks ago
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Hulk:

I only got delayed once... or twice. And one was in Hong Kong. 10 minute delay...

 

I fly a LOT.

10 years 30 weeks ago
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10 years 30 weeks ago
 
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Emperor

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Somebody forgot to bribe the air traffic controllers

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10 years 30 weeks ago
 
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Sometimes when another flight is delayed, it will have priority to take off/ land (or an international flight or a bigger airline). Then other flights that are supposed to wait while those priority flights take off/ land.

I'll give you an example, if 3 flights from outside the country are late and will arrive close to the time your flight is supposed to take off. They will make your flight late so that the passengers on the international flights make their connecting flights. 

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10 years 30 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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besides the normal air force exercise ,bad weather reasons etc ,it's believed that one big reason is someone privileged and more “important” than us enjoys the priority to fly their planes first.

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10 years 30 weeks ago
 
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It means some kid is flying a kite in a park in Tianjin. All domestic flights are canceled until he goes home to bed thus freeing airspace.

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10 years 29 weeks ago
 
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it's nap time.

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10 years 29 weeks ago
 
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It means air traffic control has not given the green light for your airplane to go yet. They have to check all the airplanes and make sure everything is clear. More than likely airtraffic control said to not take off.....

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10 years 29 weeks ago

There are cookies, bookies and too many rookies for me to sit here trying to be a hooky! Looky Looky don't call me a wooky. Touchy Touchy Feely Feely Spicy Spicy Nicey Nicey & that's what the doctor Ordered!!

 
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It means someone is incompetent. 

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10 years 29 weeks ago
 
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It probably means the guy that gives aeroplanes the go ahead for taking off is either still asleep, not finished a computer game or is busy chatting with his mates on QQ.

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10 years 29 weeks ago
 
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