Each diversion and delay erodes a nascent airline’s vulnerable margins, making it difficult for private carriers to weather the storm. “The infrastructure is so messed up. When you’re faced with delays, it’s hard to predict your costs. Flying to China we have to carry a lot of fuel, which is not cost efficient at all and sometimes we face huge delays, which eats into your fuel. This affects more the smaller domestic carriers,” says a senior first officer from a world-class international airline who declined to be named due to the sensitive nature of the topic.
Often, Chinese air-traffic control will cite the weather for flight diversions, those in the industry claim this is deceptive. “When I flew to Beijing recently, traffic control suggested we divert for weather purposes, but the weather looked fine to me. For the last two months, we’ve had several weather diversions every month which is not normal for any airport,” said the senior first officer. “Most airports let the pilot decide if they can make the landing. But in China they seem to decide for you before you even attempt the approach, so it’s really strange,” he adds.
Airlines are also subject to impromptu cancellations. “Sometimes air traffic control will tell you, due to flow control or airspace restrictions, Beijing airspace is closed, an hour before you get there, which is ridiculous. It’s not easy for pilots,” the senior first officer says. One result of overly congested airspace is mis-managed air traffic control. “China’s air traffic controllers have not had experience to deal with this kind of volume. The way they give air traffic controls is inefficient. They will make us descend very early and they will force you to descend quickly which is inefficient. As pilots we don’t want to descend and then hold straight and level at a lower altitude for a long time, we just want a smooth gliding descent which wastes the least fuel,” explains the senior first officer.
He was alluding to that.
