Chinese airport delays - Now worse than India!

Beijing Capital Airport has taken a bit of an international beating since Forbes magazine and the Beijinger last year released some damning statistics about the airport’s abysmal flight punctuality. Yet, this problem seems to be nationwide, and still decending into chaos. With Spring Festival soon approaching, we can expect more delays at the airport.

According to the Global Times, in 2010 punctuality on the mainland was 75.43% down on 81.89% in 2009 and 82% in 2008. China has actually now become more tardy than India which has an overall punctuality rate of 82.7% in smaller, and allegedly less efficient airports.

Although, we must acknowledge that cities such as Beijing have seen an extraordinary rise in domestic and international travel through its airport since the Olympics, the multi-billion dollar leviathan that is Terminal 3 was designed specifically to cope with the increase and improve flight punctuality. In fact, the opening of Terminal 3 just before the Olympics has if anything, led to flight’s arriving and leaving later than ever. Last year the Beijinger posted an article claiming Beijing Capital Airport to be the worst performing international airport in the world.

These figures are unwelcome news for the Civil Aviation Authority of China, especially since Chunyun has officially begun and that there has been no discernable improvement in the past year. What’s worse for Beijing is that not even the powers-that-be have indicated an 'improvement' in Beijing’s tardiness, a point made more alarming by the fact that there has been no snow to delay airplanes this year!

If you are getting out of dodge this week, remember to pack your patience!