KA 875 PVG - HKG

Dragonair Logo

Clear Skies, Air Traffic Delays?

Flying in China these days can be a very stressful experience. With sudden airspace closures and air corridor restrictions, delays can quickly spiral out of control despite clear weather. 10 May seemed to be a picture-perfect day in Shanghai, and I hoped for the best as the taxi pulled into the airport.

No Delays

The check-in agent informed me the flight is expected to depart on schedule. Hope that comes true. The whole check-in process was quite quick and I was ready to head air-side in a jiffy.

Pudong is a decent plane spotting airport, but since the windows slope outwards and there is an annoying safety bar in the way, I had to go underneath the bar to bend in an awkward way to get to the window surface. Otherwise, a bad glare would result.

CX Lounge

I was travelling in Business Class today, so I headed upstairs to the Cathay Pacific Lounge for a snack and to explore the lounge a bit. Just past the entrance, there was a self-serve bar with a huge magazine and newspaper rack. The selection was extensive.

With so many flights between Shanghai and Hong Kong, the lounge was quite busy. I refrained from taking too many photos out in the open pit. The chairs were short and there wasn't too much privacy, but it was comfortable and bright. There were a few rows of computer desks at the back, where I sat down to check the flight timings once again.

Today's flight would be operated by a tiny A320 jet.

Business Class was full today. The seats are comfortable and wide, unlike Cathay's claustrophobic herringbone layout. The seats faced the front, which meant easy access to the window, but a little more troublesome to reach the aisle for the lavatory. The catering was not downsized though. The food tasted quite good and the portions were sufficient.

I waited a bit for the ice cream to defrost before digging the spoon into it. It was a fairly clear day along the eastern Chinese coast anyway, which kept me busy looking out for views and taking pictures.

The lights dimmed and the window shades drawn down. This was a bit weird as it as a late afternoon flight.

We approached the airport from the east, flying above the city along the way. Luckily I chose a left window seat. The suburb of Shatin soon came into view.

Although it was reaching sunset and light was starting to fade, Hong Kong's tallest building was still visible, reflecting the setting sun's rays.

We landed at 19:01, 4 minutes earlier than scheduled, despite a 5 minute departure delay. It was a good day.

Return to Flight Reports Index