China - never a dull moment!

[Cruiser Elite]

Up to CA F Lounge and I am only dude in there - lounge all to my lonesome - for 2 mins anyway then in walks another pax.

Anyways it's almost 15:00 - way past Moët time - the princess they have manning bar in CA F Lounge is just a darling - every time I am in Lounge she seems to always be here:



Now check this this one I snapped as she was opening the Moët:



Is is this a classic of innosence or what?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

And 5 mins after I posted those pics Yuan Jiao finished work for the day and Nina Chen takes over:



One thing the Internet has done is vastly increase the number of young Chinese 'choosing' an English name.

 

[hummel]

One thing the Internet has done is vastly increase the number of young Chinese 'choosing' an English name.

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That doesn't mean it's going to be a good choice though!

Might be off to China next week with my shiny APEC card for the first time..except I notice it's not in use at CAN(GZ)! Oh China and your backwards thoughts!

 

[TheRealTMA]

Up to CA F Lounge and I am only dude in there - lounge all to my lonesome - for 2 mins anyway then in walks another pax.

Anyways it's almost 15:00 - way past Moët time - the princess they have manning bar in CA F Lounge is just a darling - every time I am in Lounge she seems to always be here:

View attachment 91479

Now check this this one I snapped as she was opening the Moët:

View attachment 91480

Is is this a classic of innosence or what?

Did you ask permission to post her photo?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Did you ask permission to post her photo?

Yes I did actually - and showed her the post - she and all her colleagues on entry desk had quite a giggle.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Whilst we have known this like forever - this is first time I have seen it in print anywhere - Chinese Airport Delays.

 

[seanpodge]

Seems like there's a chance that Didi Chuxing (who took over Uber China) will put out an English version of their app that will accept foreign credit cards within a few months. Story in CNET via The Beijinger.

 

[seanpodge]

Whilst we have known this like forever - this is first time I have seen it in print anywhere - Chinese Airport Delays.

While I'm hardly flying in China every other day, I've done a bit (30 domestic flights according to my records, plus flights entering/leaving China) and seem to mainly miss all these delays people talk about. Worst was a three hour delay in HRB when the plane would not take off due to severe storms at its destination, PVG. Otherwise only minor delays or on time. Am I just lucky?

Most of my flights are in northern China (never been further south than Shanghai). Perhaps the problem is worse down there?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Indeed the 3 biggies in PEK, PVG and SHA are worst - it really is Russian roulette.

Back to DiDi - that will be fabulous if / when it happens - taxi situation in SH getting beyond a joke. I was there Feb 17 to 19 and the incidence of taxis refusing meter rides and demanding extortion level fares from foreigners is getting totally out of hand.

Whilst the area in and around Nanjing Lu walk street has always been difficult a bit of patience and aggression when competing against locals usually yielded satisfactory results - this time in the rain it was simply a nightmare.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Otherwise only minor delays or on time. Am I just lucky?

PVG-HKG is the worst because not only affected by weather and ATC (full airport) but also military restrictions. PVG-Japan is not affected so much for example.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Not sure if I have already posted but dep PVG T2 last Sunday now such a consistent exp. All bags are explosives tested and xrayed at entry doors to T2 - check in simple and straight forward - the now customary Gold Solitare tag attached to bags of ALL F pax - gotta love that - dep immig very easy with APEC - security screen lines like 50 deep and I would imagine a 30min delay given how slow most pax are - but then there is Channel 26 - through immig and turn right and walk and walk some more - there it is like a beacon - Channel 26 for F, J and VIPs.

No Chinese Airport staff will ever point you down here so don't bother asking - just turn right and walk and walk - you will be in lounge with a drink in your hand much much quicker.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

...there it is like a beacon - Channel 26 for F, J and VIPs.

The queues are a shocker... belts off now, ipads out (used to only be laptops). Channel 26 on Saturday was still 15 minutes (but better than the regular queues).

And they now have a security person to check BPs for lane 26. That's an improvement.

 

[hummel]

I only ever fly in/out of CAN and have been pretty lucky with delays. Mainly fly SQ - The worse I've had was a 4hr delay and that was as a storm closed the airport while we were taxing.

Lucky I was in J and just kept drinking.

Wonder what the security will be like in CAN on Tuesday.. can't imagine getting iPads out as well.. the locals will take forever!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Wonder what the security will be like in CAN on Tuesday.. can't imagine getting iPads out as well.. the locals will take forever!

Different airports may have different policies. For some reason PVG has been on on increased inspection lately.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Different airports may have different policies. For some reason PVG has been on on increased inspection lately.

PVG security much more intense than PEK since that clown set himself alight last year - we live n a different world now.

 

[seanpodge]

PVG security much more intense than PEK since that clown set himself alight last year - we live n a different world now.

True. At PEK they've started doing the explosive test as one enters the terminal, but it's done at random rather that for everyone like at PVG.

The inconsistency between different domestic airports is a bit of a nuisance too.

 

[Atleastonce]

Not sure if I have already posted but dep PVG T2 last Sunday now such a consistent exp. All bags are explosives tested and xrayed at entry doors to T2 - check in simple and straight forward - the now customary Gold Solitare tag attached to bags of ALL F pax - gotta love that - dep immig very easy with APEC - security screen lines like 50 deep and I would imagine a 30min delay given how slow most pax are - but then there is Channel 26 - through immig and turn right and walk and walk some more - there it is like a beacon - Channel 26 for F, J and VIPs.

No Chinese Airport staff will ever point you down here so don't bother asking - just turn right and walk and walk - you will be in lounge with a drink in your hand much much quicker.

I have not travelled to PVG before and have a flight booked on SQ BNE-SIN-PVG and return in June/July 2017. We are also doing a cruise from Shanghai to South Korea return and flying out of PVG on the day we return from the cruise. There is a Shanghai city tour with airport drop off after the cruise but mentions the tour is only for passengers departing after 4:30pm. Our flight is 4:50pm. Even though we are in J what time would you recommend we arrive at the airport to experience the airport/lounge etc... I can then work out the airport drop off time to see if we book the tour. Thanks.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Even though we are in J what time would you recommend we arrive at the airport to experience the airport/lounge etc... I can then work out the airport drop off time to see if we book the tour. Thanks.

There is NO lounge experience at PVG! The First class lounge is a novelty (compared to what used to be offered), but the business lounge is nothing that you would arrive at the airport early for.

If you flight is at 4.50pm, you should aim to arrive there around 2.50-3pm. Passport control can be lengthy (TG, SQ, MH are all leaving at that time). Security, you can use the VIP/F/J line (counter 26 to the far right of the hall).

A 3pm arrival will get you to the lounge by 4pm at the latest. That's 20 mins for a drink before boarding.

 

[mushez]

Just done SHA T1 for early morning domestic flight.

Explosive wipe down and then bag X-ray before you get into terminal.

Then normal security went to town.

They didn't ask for belt or shoes - forgot to take belt off voluntarily.

Took out the normal inc IPad and power bank.

However they also wanted to go over my laptop power supply and headphones. Took both out of main carry on, broke down and spread out in tray, and re- X-rayed separately to main bag again.

Really went to town with noise canceling headphones - taking apart to take batteries out and really checked them out carefully.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Yep taxis hard to hail in Shanghai - is this why?

Take note you Uber lovers - just be prepared for the consequences if the regulated taxi industry as we know it is indeed destroyed.