China Eastern Delays/Cancellations

MU727 from NKG was timetabled to depart at 1930 hours on Wednesday 12 October but failed to be airborne until a very late 2257. On Thursday 13 A332 B-5936 should arrive in SYD at approximately 1202, 152 minutes behind the scheduled 0930 hours at gate time.

Despite MU's commercial relationship with QF, AFF suffers from a dearth of reports about MU so if anyone was on such a delayed flight, feedback as to what occurred would be great, notwithstanding that the mainland Chinese carriers largely carry that nationality and are yet to be highly used as a percentage of seats by non-Chinese Australians.
 
MU727, the Friday 21 October 2016 1930 hours from NKG to SYD did not depart until 2152. On Saturday 22 it is predicted to pull in to the SYD airport gate at about 1116, 106 minutes tardy.

MU739, the scheduled 1340 hours arrival in MEL (ex PVG) this afternoon should instead arrive at around 1434. Aircraft is B-5973, an A332.
 
On Sunday 23 October, MU737 (2005 hours Saturday 22 from PVG down to MEL) should arrive at approximately 1223, 143 minutes behind schedule. The usual A332 on this occasion is B-5931.

MU561 into SYD (also ex PVG) is arriving at 1258 hours rather than 1000, 178 late.

With QF130 and CA175 among other delayed Australia-bound flights ex PVG on Saturday night 22 October, was it fog or simply aircraft congestion either in the air or on the ground (including military) that adversely affected these flights?
 
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Monday 24 October 2016 sees MU561, the 2020 hours Sunday 23 ex PVG that was airborne at 2140 hours likely to arrive SYD at 1056, 56 minutes late. Aircraft is A332 B-5968.

MU737 (PVG - MEL) is half an hour late with arrival of B-6545, another A332, likely at 1030.
 
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Tuesday 25 October sees MU737, the redeye from PVG to MEL arriving at around 1047, 47 minutes late with A332 B-6545.
 
On Thursday 27 October, MU737 from PVG is about 75 minutes late with expected MEL arrival of A332 B-6546 at 1115. the returning MU738 ex MEL is not showing as 'delayed' but given it has a timetabled 1200 'high noon' departure, some delay - perhaps to about 1220 - 1225 if all goes well - is unavoidable.
 
MU561, the Thursday 27 October 2020 hours from PVG down to SYD (A332 B-5962) took off at 2154. Friday 28 arrival should be in the realm of 1102, 62 minutes behind schedule. As MU562 does not depart until a timetabled 1220, it has a chance of being off blocks punctually.

A CA flight from PVG is also late: delays at this airport, probably compounded by military air traffic, are hardly unusual in the way of mainland China.

MU735, the 0015 hours from PVG to SYD (A332 B-5952) took off at 0134 and should arrive 65 minutes late at 1440 on the afternoon of Friday 29.
 
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MU727 (Friday 28 October NKG to SYD at 1955 hours, having been airborne at 2103) should arrive in SYD at 1041 on Saturday 29, 71 minutes behind schedule with A332 B-5937.

Meanwhile MU737 (A332 B-5931, the overnight from PVG to MEL) should arrive at roughly 1128, 88 minutes late.

QF130 is also late so once again it must be challenging to depart PVG on time, perhaps due to a combination of much civillian and even military air traffic.
 
In a further Saturday 29 October delayed arrival ex PVG, this time into MEL, MU727 is about 103 minutes late with arrival likely at 1523. A332 B-5942 is the aircraft.

706 or so air kilometres further north, MU562 (A332 B-5920), the 1200 'high noon' from SYD to PVG is taxiing at 1335 so it will be delayed into the major mainland Chinese commercial city.
 
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Tuesday 1 November sees MU727, the overnight NKG - SYD arriving at about 1018, 48 minutes behind schedule. Aircraft is A332 B-6122.
 
Due to strong winds, SYD has been reduced to just one runway - 25 - for much of Saturday 5 November 2016 so departures are to the west, and there are many delays.

MU728, the 1130 SYD - NKG took off at 1251. Arrival of A332 B-6122 should occur at 2027, 57 minutes late.
 
A332 B-5961 on the 2020 hours MU561 Sunday 6 November PVG - SYD was airborne at a late 2200 so on Monday 7, arrival is predicted at 1047, 47 minutes tardy. As MU562 is not scheduled to depart back to PVG from SYD until 1200, it may be able to get away on time or extremely close to it as minimum turnaround for an A330 tends to be 65 to 70 minutes with everything going without a hitch, including passengers not having to be repeatedly called for boarding at the absolute last minute.
 
Saturday 26 November sees MU727 from NKG to SYD likely to arrive at 1228 instead of 0930 with A332 B-5902.

On Saturday 26 November, due to the 30 per cent reduction in fuel availability at MEL due to a batch of imported fuel (from SIN) not meeting specifications, MU738 (the 1200 'high noon' MEL - PVG) is being altered to operate via BNE for a fuel stop.

This will typically add about 90 minutes to the total trip duration and cost the airline thousands of dollars. What would the mainland Chinese think of MEL's problems as a major international airport (and a growing one) that seemingly cannot provide sufficient redundancy in its fuel storage facilities to cope when a batch of imported fuel is unsatisfactory?
 
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