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Dragonair is always late - discuss

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  1. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by MovingIn07:
    Our reason was "technical problem". Which basically translates into "we don't maintain our planes well enough to ensure they work when necessary". That's ALL Dragonair fault!
    I wouldn't argue with you Moving, as I can see your frustrations. However, I can assure you that Dragonair and CX aircraft are both properly maintained. In fact, they are maintained by the very same MRO. Just a little info on how an aircraft is released to service. Every aircraft has an MEL (minimum equipment list). It states the "go" and "no go" items for a particular aircraft type. For example, the aircraft can be released to service and be certified as airworthy even with the APU inoperative but with penalty. It could be reduced load or any other which is clearly defined in the MEL. Bottomline is, the aircrft still flies. If it falls on the "no go" category, then either it gets fixed or the aircraft stays on ground. This is where the flight scheduler steps in. His duty is to minimize the delays. If a flight gets delayed, then the next flight leg will also be delayed. So he switches one aircraft to take the flight of the one that was delayed and find another one to take the other flight, and so on until every flight is again on time. What helps CX to be on time most of the time is the number of fleet that it has. Switching more than a hundred aircraft is easier than doing the same with a fleet of less than fifty.
    drumbrake and MovingIn07 like this.

  2. #32

    Join Date
    Apr 2011
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    I've only flown a couple of times with Dragonair and like the majority of posters, was delayed going to Shanghai (but only for 30 mins...and there was no moving terminals in transit buses so no big deal). On time to Hanoi and back but a horrible cramped plane where the seats were obviously designed for people with a maximum height of 5 foot 2.


  3. #33

    I fly KA back and forth to Shanghai frequently (every other week) as well as regular trips to Beijing and Hangzhou. Several years ago, they were consistently 30 minutes late in departing. However, in the last 2 years, I have found them to be much better in keeping to schedule. My experience has been that only 1 out of 10 are late these days. On the other hand, the onboard service has slipped a bit, even though the flights are not as full as they were a year ago.


  4. #34

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    Jan 2008
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    Today SCMP:
    "Passengers trapped for six hours on a Dragonair plane on the tarmac at Hong Kong airport at the height of Typhoon Vicente went through a grim ordeal as the aircraft was rocked by the blasting winds"


  5. #35

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    Just received following message from a friend of mine, who left for China last night:
    Quote: " Yesterday was the worst experience of my life with Dragon Air at airport. Around 2.30 I checked and was told that flight was on time. When I reached airport express that flight was delayed to 11.00pm. Went again at 8.30 and checked with them to ensure the flight was leaving on time and they said yes and please go to the airport immediately. I went there and the desk there informed flight was leaving at 11.00, so went through the immigration. At 11.45 they showed on the screen flight was delayed to 12.30 and go to gate 16. From 12.30 no body appeared at the gate. At 1.30 3 staff came and passengers really started to shout at them. At 2.00 they started boarding ,the flight left aroud 2.45 and reached here 5.00 am." unquote

    MovingIn07 and dengxi like this.

  6. #36

    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Gold Coast Marina
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    I'm at Manila airport now waiting for my flight home. The CX flight is delayed an hour (but looking at the departures, at least it has taken off!). The KA flight corresponding to the one I took on Sunday has been cancelled. It seem to be taking them both a long time to recover from Vincente.


  7. #37

    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Less than 24 hours after a typhoon 10 and they're not caught up yet... Imagine that

    bookblogger likes this.

  8. #38

    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by gilleshk:
    Less than 24 hours after a typhoon 10 and they're not caught up yet... Imagine that
    MORE than 24 hours after the No8 signal came down (and a lot more than the 10); when the 10 did nowhere near as much damage as previous 10's and clearly was not one of those highly destructive ones we fear.

  9. #39

    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Ahhh yes half an hour more, my mistake...if only you'd be running the airport and airlines, it would be so much better! Oh wait... you are clueless about it yet you feel free to criticize something you know nothing about... Nothing new I guess


  10. #40
    Quote Originally Posted by MovingIn07:
    At the airport now, waiting for my twice delayed Dragonair flight to Manila.

    While Cathay flights to Manila sometimes suffer delays (up to 30 mins often) this one is now 2 hours late.

    Pretty much whenever I fly Dragonair it's delayed; and when flying Cathay I typically sit in the lounge listening to announcements and it ALWAYS seem to be Dragonair flights!

    What are others experiences? For Manila at least, they are equal priced to Cathay, so if they are not a "cheap, unreliable" airline, what the heck are they?
    Never had probs with Dragon. I think the problem for you stems from Manilla airport traffic control ie incompetent.