A China Southern Boeing 737-800
Xinjiang journey: Battling delays and tight security but leaving with cherished memories
While some countries fret about flight delays in minutes, my recent journey to Urumqi tells a tale of hours! This narrative unfolds during my recent 11-day trip to Northern Xinjiang, when aboard a Chinese Airlines Boeing 737-800, the flight was delayed for an embarrassingly 2 hours and 15 minutes at Guangzhou.
Whilst being delayed, the cockpit remained eerily silent, and frustration began to show on the passengers. It wasn’t until the first officer finally broke the silence, attributing the delay to air traffic clearances that we had some insight.
As someone who has encountered similar issues in Chinese airspace before, I found myself more empathetic toward the pilots than my fellow travelers who were venting their displeasure. After all, flight delays are often beyond the control of the pilots, who bear the brunt of passengers’ ire.
The post-pandemic surge in air travel has placed immense strain on Chinese air traffic management. In most instances, delays were primarily attributable to military airspace requirements, inclement weather or air traffic flow control.
The root issue lies in China’s limited number of airways with the military relinquishing control of only about 20% of the country’s airspace.
Some said that the military would not yield its grip on China’s airspace, regardless of the delays it causes. As such, controllers may not be very happy when pilots seek explanations for these delays.
Turning to airport security, it is very stringent getting into Xinjiang. Despite the global relaxation of rules on fluids and gels over 100ml, Chinese security continues to enforce the 100ml limit. Even my mini drinking bottle containing less than the limit was confiscated.
While IATA permits power banks with a maximum capacity of 27,000 mAh, Chinese security imposes a 10,000 mAh cap. My power bank, even at 6200 mAh, fell victim to the strict checks due to a minor cover discrepancy.
However, the thoroughness of passenger frisking and screening instils a sense of security about the flight. Chinese leaders justify these stringent anti-terrorism measures as being for the greater good of all.
Despite these inconveniences, our journey was filled with sweet memories of our remarkable visits to the Hemu village, the serene and ever-changing Kanas Lake colors, the striking Yardang landforms, the awe-inspiring Keytun Grand Canyon, the bustling Tekas Bagua City and the vibrant Grand Bazaar.
Xinjiang, adorned with historical ruins along the ancient Silk Road, boasts some of China’s most breathtaking natural landscapes.
Interestingly, throughout our tour, we neither heard nor witnessed any substantiated evidence of ‘genocide or human rights issues’ concerning the Uighurs. Instead, we reveled in the splendors of the landscape, returning home with cherished recollections of our amazing Xinjiang trip
View YouTube video ‘China Bagua City’
here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8MItFZ7bKs
View YouTube video CHINA LAST FRONTIER – GORGEOUS XINJIANG
here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVfNPMdgb38