Where theory meets reality

LCCs are a natural fit for the Chinese market, but is the airside infrastructure adequate?

Flying within, to and from China can be a bizarre experience. Not only for passengers but for the airlines themselves.

Take the case of Singapore Airlines’ low-cost, long-haul budget offspring Scoot. It was given an arrival slot at a major Chinese airport in the middle of the night. Problem was the local customs and immigration staff didn’t come on duty until dawn so the aircraft and its passengers had to sit around sucking their thumbs for several hours before being processed. It hardly ends there. Delayed departures, lengthy circling in holding patterns in the air or idling on taxiways on the ground waiting for gates to become free are commonplace. As a result frustration is rife and air rage incidents abound.