This was my third time taking the shuttle flight between Shanghai’s Hongqiao airport (SHA, not PVG) and PEK in the same number of weeks. The first time was on an FM 767 (very old and dirty airplane) and the second time was on an MU A330 (nice and new, but no PTVs). I figured that, third time being a charm, I’d write a report for this one.

Airline: Air China
Flight: CA 1586
Route: SHA-PEK
Equip: Boeing 777-200
Class: Economy
Seat: 36A
ETD (Actual): 21:05 (23:45)
ETA (Actual): 23:20 (01:10)

I was rushing to the airport in a taxi as I initially thought the departure time was 920pm, not 905pm. I got there on time and was checked in by an agent that had the worst attitude I’ve ever encountered. I asked for a Priority tag for my bag, to which he said he would put one, but didn’t. No lounge invite was offered, as opposed to the time I flew with FM.


Inside the taxi on the way to SHA


Cruising to the airport


Cruising to the airport

After check in, I decided to check out the First Class Lounge number 2. I was refused entry and told to go to the Business Class Lounge at gate B3. I tried my luck at the First Class Lounge number 1, and to my surprise, it was empty (literally, not even a service agent). I got a drink and started to get comfy, when the xiaojie (or young lady) told me the lounge was closed. So finally I decided to go to the lounge next to B3, but this was just a collection of about 10 armchairs and a fridge half-stocked with soft drinks.


Combined check-in desks for CA, FM, MU and others


Check in for Terminal A


Gate area A


First Class Lounge 1


Gate Area A

As I wanted to be the first one to board, I went to gate A8 10 minutes before the scheduled boarding time. Me and the other passengers started to form a line, and by the time 905pm came, I figured we weren’t going anywhere, as no gate agents had arrived. A few minutes later, the gate agents arrived, had a little chit chat, and informed the crowd (in Chinese only) that the flight would be delayed. I asked, in broken Chinese, what time would our flight take off, to which the lady replied ”Wo bu zhi dao” (I don’t know). How couldn’t she know? I asked her again and got the same answer. I asked the other people around the gate, but alas, got the same answer. I then saw on the board that our flight had been delayed due to “flow control”. Whatever that means! I also panicked when I saw 80% of the flights on the board had been delayed by several hours or even cancelled. However, most of these flights were to cities in the south, such as Guangzhou and Xiamen.


Gate A8


Passengers getting free drinks during the delay

Meanwhile I found the only three-pronged electric outlet (like those in Singapore or the UK) next to an emergency exit, so I put my stuff (including my bum) on the floor, plugged in my laptop, and did a bit of work. This action (which I see and do a lot in the West) drew many a stare from the locals. I wonder why.

The time passed by and finally by 1030pm an announcement was made that we would board the plane at 1045pm. Boarding was quick, even though the load in Economy was ~90% (Business was mostly empty). However, our pushback was delayed further as one of the passengers failed to be informed by her accompanying clique of the new departure time. A small argument ensued, but luckily it all ended being just a bit of a giggle.


Finally going down the jetway


Seat 36A


Legroom. Not as tight as it looks


The lady that nearly got left behind

We finally pushed back at 1145pm and headed to the active. I was hoping that nothing else would go wrong as one way or another I had to be at PEK at the latest at 8am the next day in order to catch my flight to Changchun.


Pushing back from Shanghai


MU A330 at the gate next to ours


Taxiing to the active next to another MU A330


Looking forward from the view of the gear-mounted camera


Unidentified A32X on take off roll


Turning into the active

After take off, we made a sharp right turn and headed due north towards Beijing. 20mins after take off the flight attendants came by offering drinks and the standard pork- or chicken-filled bun (it’s not a choice, it’s just whichever animal they load on the particular flight). This time we had the chicken-filled bun, which is quite tasteless. The pork bun usually has a better taste, as some of the pork grease oozes and permeates the bun, making it rich in delicious flavor. The grease usually makes it past the thick bun dough and even the aluminum foil, which means that the greasy fun of eating this in-flight delicacy starts from when the scorching hot snack is handed over to you by the flight attendants. I washed this down with baishikele, know elsewhere as Pepsi.


Inflight snack

During the rest of the flight I decided to do a bit of work and pre-read for the next day’s visits. We started our descent at about 1245am and were at the gate 10mins after 1am. I felt lucky I didn’t have to endure the screening of every passenger’s temperature, as is now the norm on international flights arriving in China, which can add anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes in additional time spent at the airport waiting to get off the plane.

Even though my bag didn’t have a priority tag, it was one of the first ones to come out. My bag finally came and I was greeted outside by our driver. I was relieved, as I had a bad feeling that he would not show up to pick me up. We drove for about 45mins and finally got to the hotel, the Grand Hyatt Beijing. As much as it is a very nice hotel, I would’ve preferred to stay at a hotel closer to the airport. This one is about 3 or 4 blocks from Tiananmen Square.


Taxiing to T3C


A lineup of CA 777s


Baggage claim

This concludes my 6 hour journey from Shanghai to Beijing, which I had expected would take half that time.

Hope you enjoyed and please leave a comment.

Cheers
Coal