Safety fears as Chinese airports order planes to take off regardless
Flights may leave on time, but planes may circle for hours awaiting landing slots at destinations
Eight major mainland airports are trying to reduce flight delays by ordering commercial planes to take off on time - even if they have no landing slot at their destination.
The drastic move, ordered by aviation authorities, could lead to planes having to circle airports for hours waiting for clearance to land and has been slammed as unsafe and impractical.
Waiting on the ground is always safer than waiting in the air
Yang Xinsheng, dean of the College of Air Traffic Management at the Civil Aviation University of China, said it was "ridiculous" and added: "Waiting on the ground is always safer than waiting in the air."
The measure was implemented last week after mainland airports were found to be among the worst in the world for delayed departures and arrivals.
The measure - termed "unrestricted take-off" - took effect at Beijing Capital, Shanghai Hongqiao, Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Baoan, Chengdu Shuangliu, Xian Xianyang and Kunming Changshui airports.
Together they account for half the mainland's air traffic.
The Beijing News said the measure had "effectively improved" performance. It said Beijing Capital International Airport increased its rate of on-time departures by 15 to 20 per cent.