Isochronous
Established Member
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2009
- Posts
- 4,679
On Wednesday I flew MEL-HKG-PVG, the first sector on QF29 and the second on KA.
The QF flight, despite being full in Y which meant my WP shadow evaporated, was pretty good. Service was attentive, and made all the better by a fantastic MEL Flounge experience. The manager Charlie and one of the waiters, Imran, were both excellent. Since I arrived at 0630 I was also able to get a long 0730 spa appointment for a back massage. Great way to start a day of flying!
However, the KA flight was a nightmare. Being KA it departed from one of the 500-numbered HKG gates, which meant a bus on to the tarmac rather than an airbridge. A reminder to try getting CX departures from HKG if possible! Boarding was on time with no hint of any delays.
However, we were then stuck on the tarmac for 3.5+hrs. Since this was a 2115 scheduled flight, this meant departing after midnight and not arriving at PVG until about 1430. By the time my cab arrived at my apartment in Shanghai, it was 4am. A terribly long day!
The worst part was that, apart from being an A320 with no IFE or screens to speak of (and shock, horror, no WP greeting on CX/KA for the first time!), we initially taxied out somewhere and then stopped. We were then told that ATC at PVG were preventing us taking off due to low visibility at PVG. What made matters worse was that they shut one engine off to save fuel, so we didn't seem to be getting much aircon. Eventually drinks and then dinner service commenced, with the seatbelt sign remaining on. I remember the Chinese lady next to me being rather angry when told by the FA that she couldn't go to the toilet since the seatbelt sign was on; an angry conversation between the two of us in Mandarin commenced.
After about 1.5-2hrs we returned to the gate, but were not allowed to disembark. We then had to wait even longer for a crew change.
My question is: is it normal/acceptable practice to be kept inside the plane on the tarmac for so long? At what point would KA have been obligated to put us up in HKG for the night, if at all? This was easily my most painful flying experience to date. I would have preferred to go back to the First Lounge. In fact I was so tired that I was tempted to ask to be allowed to deplane and stay in HKG on my own coin.
The QF flight, despite being full in Y which meant my WP shadow evaporated, was pretty good. Service was attentive, and made all the better by a fantastic MEL Flounge experience. The manager Charlie and one of the waiters, Imran, were both excellent. Since I arrived at 0630 I was also able to get a long 0730 spa appointment for a back massage. Great way to start a day of flying!
However, the KA flight was a nightmare. Being KA it departed from one of the 500-numbered HKG gates, which meant a bus on to the tarmac rather than an airbridge. A reminder to try getting CX departures from HKG if possible! Boarding was on time with no hint of any delays.
However, we were then stuck on the tarmac for 3.5+hrs. Since this was a 2115 scheduled flight, this meant departing after midnight and not arriving at PVG until about 1430. By the time my cab arrived at my apartment in Shanghai, it was 4am. A terribly long day!
The worst part was that, apart from being an A320 with no IFE or screens to speak of (and shock, horror, no WP greeting on CX/KA for the first time!), we initially taxied out somewhere and then stopped. We were then told that ATC at PVG were preventing us taking off due to low visibility at PVG. What made matters worse was that they shut one engine off to save fuel, so we didn't seem to be getting much aircon. Eventually drinks and then dinner service commenced, with the seatbelt sign remaining on. I remember the Chinese lady next to me being rather angry when told by the FA that she couldn't go to the toilet since the seatbelt sign was on; an angry conversation between the two of us in Mandarin commenced.
After about 1.5-2hrs we returned to the gate, but were not allowed to disembark. We then had to wait even longer for a crew change.
My question is: is it normal/acceptable practice to be kept inside the plane on the tarmac for so long? At what point would KA have been obligated to put us up in HKG for the night, if at all? This was easily my most painful flying experience to date. I would have preferred to go back to the First Lounge. In fact I was so tired that I was tempted to ask to be allowed to deplane and stay in HKG on my own coin.
