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Chinese airline industry battles delays as passenger numbers grow Chinese airline industry battles delays as passenger numbers grow
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When the young flight attendant joined a major Chinese airline last year, he received the usual training: how to evacuate an aircraft, how to serve food – and how to keep his cool with even the toughest passengers. "Our principle is: do not shout back, even if the customer curses you. Do not fight back, even if you are getting beaten," he explained. When the young flight attendant joined a major Chinese airline last year, he received the usual training: how to evacuate an aircraft, how to serve food – and how to keep his cool with even the toughest passengers. "Our principle is: do not shout back, even if the customer curses you. Do not fight back, even if you are getting beaten," he explained.
Such lessons are becoming more important; at one Hong Kong airline, cabin crews are learning kung fu. There were more than two dozen fights at airports this summer. The steward has had to stop passengers from breaking down the door to get off a delayed plane, but might count himself lucky: in other cases, angry travellers have trashed airline offices, thumped attendants and even stormed runways. Such lessons are becoming more important; at one Hong Kong airline, cabin crews are learning kung fu. There were more than two dozen fights at airports this summer.
The steward has had to stop passengers from breaking down the door to get off a delayed plane, but might count himself lucky: in other cases, angry travellers have trashed airline offices, thumped attendants and even stormed runways.
The aggression is largely sparked by the country's appalling punctuality record. Beijing Capital has the worst delays of the world's 35 largest airports, according to the US website FlightStats. In July less than a fifth of planes left on time; Shanghai was not much better. Not one Chinese airport saw even half its flights depart punctually. Though Beijing's record improved slightly in August, fewer than three in 10 flights were on schedule.The aggression is largely sparked by the country's appalling punctuality record. Beijing Capital has the worst delays of the world's 35 largest airports, according to the US website FlightStats. In July less than a fifth of planes left on time; Shanghai was not much better. Not one Chinese airport saw even half its flights depart punctually. Though Beijing's record improved slightly in August, fewer than three in 10 flights were on schedule.
On Monday China announced it was cracking down on false terrorist threats, which have contributed to flight delays and diversions, threatening to jail offenders for more than five years. Xinhua said there had been 80 fake threats to flights and airports this year. But experts say the bigger issue is the massive growth of the airline industry, coupled with air traffic restrictions related to the military use of airspace. On Monday China announced it was cracking down on false terrorist threats, which have contributed to flight delays and diversions, threatening to jail offenders for more than five years. State news agency Xinhua said there had been 80 fake threats to flights and airports this year.
The military controls around 80% of the airspace, , according to a civil aviation administration official, compared to around 20% in Europe or the US. But experts say the bigger issue is the massive growth of the airline industry, coupled with air traffic restrictions related to the military use of airspace.
Cheng-Lung Wu, who researches aviation punctuality at the University of New South Wales, said: "Military exercises take the priority over civilian aviation and often when a military exercise is on it also uses civilian airspace. Here come the air traffic-related delays for your flights: the available airspace is now squeezed even further." The military controls around 80% of the airspace, according to a civil aviation administration official, compared with around 20% in Europe or the US.
There were 296m domestic passenger journeys in 2012, up almost 9% on the previous year, and the International Air Transport Association predicts almost 200 million more Chinese passengers will have taken to the skies by the end of 2016. Work is under way at dozens of sites to add to China's 180-plus airports, including a vast new facility at Beijing, which already boasts the world's second largest terminal. Last month the world's highest civilian airport opened on the Tibetan plateau. Cheng-Lung Wu, who researches aviation punctuality at the University of New South Wales, Australia, said: "Military exercises take priority over civilian aviation and often when a military exercise is on it also uses civilian airspace. Here come the air traffic-related delays for your flights: the available airspace is now squeezed even further."
A third of all passengers travel through three cities: Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Chunyan Yu, an expert on airport and airline performance measurement at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, said Beijing Capital was now the world's second busiest airport in terms of passengers. "The commercial flights are strictly restricted to certain flight paths [so] those 'highways in the air' are very congested – the same as congested highways during rush hours. As flights are already tightly scheduled, there is really no room for recovery." There were 296m domestic passenger journeys in 2012, up almost 9% on the previous year, and the International Air Transport Association predicts almost 200 million more Chinese passengers will have taken to the skies by the end of 2016.
Work is under way at dozens of sites to add to China's 180-plus airports, including a vast new facility at Beijing, which already boasts the world's second largest terminal. Last month the world's highest civilian airport opened on the Tibetan plateau.
A third of all passengers travel through three cities: Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Chunyan Yu, an expert on airport and airline performance measurement at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the US, said Beijing Capital was now the world's second busiest airport in terms of passengers. "The commercial flights are strictly restricted to certain flight paths [so] those 'highways in the air' are very congested – the same as congested highways during rush hours. As flights are already tightly scheduled, there is really no room for recovery."
A private pilot compared US airspace to a soccer pitch: "You can wander from point to point, crossing each other. In China, everyone gets in a line."A private pilot compared US airspace to a soccer pitch: "You can wander from point to point, crossing each other. In China, everyone gets in a line."
Travellers blame airline inefficiency. Wu cited a lengthy delay he experienced at Shanghai not long ago: "The pilot said it was weather conditions, but outside it was sunny." Travellers blame airline inefficiency. Wu cited a lengthy delay he experienced at Shanghai not long ago: "The pilot said it was due to weather conditions, but outside it was sunny."
China also takes an extremely cautious approach to the flow of flights, with unusually long gaps between takeoffs and landings, following crashes in the early 1990s. It has had an excellent safety record over recent years.China also takes an extremely cautious approach to the flow of flights, with unusually long gaps between takeoffs and landings, following crashes in the early 1990s. It has had an excellent safety record over recent years.
Other procedures could easily improve, say experts. In China, pilots must prepare for push-back and takeoff before telling air traffic control they are ready and sitting in a queue. Elsewhere, controllers advise pilots on the outlook in advance, so they do not have to sit at the gate with their engines running, wasting fuel while the passengers on board grow angrier.Other procedures could easily improve, say experts. In China, pilots must prepare for push-back and takeoff before telling air traffic control they are ready and sitting in a queue. Elsewhere, controllers advise pilots on the outlook in advance, so they do not have to sit at the gate with their engines running, wasting fuel while the passengers on board grow angrier.
Officials have now ordered flights from major airports to take off even if there is no clear landing slot at their destination – one possible reason for August's punctuality improvement at Beijing. Experts see that as a patch rather than a solution, and not an ideal one. "It is more risky to keep the airplanes waiting in the sky. It increases emissions and, more importantly, it extends the pilots' flying time," warned one scholar from the Civil Aviation Flight University of China, who asked not to be named. Officials have now ordered flights from major airports to take off even if there is no clear landing slot at their destination – one possible reason for August's punctuality improvement at Beijing. Experts see that as a patch rather than a solution, and not an ideal one. "It is more risky to keep the planes waiting in the sky. It increases emissions and, more importantly, it extends the pilots' flying time," warned one scholar from the Civil Aviation Flight University of China, who asked not to be named.
Nor is it clear that tired passengers will find extended flights more enjoyable than long waits prior to takeoff. Delays have already encouraged some to switch to the country's fast-expanding high-speed train network instead.Nor is it clear that tired passengers will find extended flights more enjoyable than long waits prior to takeoff. Delays have already encouraged some to switch to the country's fast-expanding high-speed train network instead.
Additional research by Cecily HuangAdditional research by Cecily Huang
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