So how’s that layover workin’ out in the gulag( HAOYIN GLORIA PLAZA)? Are we still staying there? I haven’t heard anything and it’s past the 18th and it appears that trips haven’t been revised to avoid CAN layovers. Enough reason not to upgrade to Captain in order to avoid that $hithole. Just curious, thanks.

 

Damn, I would likely feel fatigued at some point before/during/after staying there - and that's just reading about the hotel.

 

New hotel starting with checkins tonight. Guangzhou Airport Southern Airlines Pearl Hotel. According to One of our FOA’s, no outside food but the menu is ok. She thinks we will approve of the choice

 

The CAN hotel is pretty bad, but I'm more concerned about the resumption of HKG layovers. What exactly has changed? We still get to spend time in chinese prison.. I mean hospital.. if anyone around us tests positive, so why is this suddenly OK again? Or did I miss something?

 

i believe there was an FCIF explaining it

 

Just left the Southern Airways Hotel and this is part of my PDR I sent on checkin: "The checkin was fast and painless
The building looks new and very clean
Rooms are the same...very clean and very new condition
Internet very slow,,,
Hot pot in room
A C ,,, is so-so, good enough but would be nicer if it was a bit cooler
Beds are pretty firm,,, I like it but they are firm
Pillows are nice also...just right
no noise"

update to that,,,,,
Ordered a Hamburger,,,,took almost an hour to deliver,,,I think they forgot until I called about it. Arrived cool.

Around 0300 an alarm went off in the hallway and so I grab my sneakers and shorts thinking there was a fire and when I opened the door there is a guy in full PPE spraying the floor with a nasty smelling chemical out of a garden sprayer and of course I got a snoot full of that. Then called the front desk to make sure there was NOT a fire and was told the alarm was a warning that spraying was being conducted,,,hmmm, at 0300?

FO had a meat pizza, it was "yum", also ordered his standby--the Club Sandwich---said the meat tasted odd,,,finished the pizza.

Its closer to the front door of the terminal...

Be sure and bring a book,,,no English on the boob tube and your VPN will not work, even if it did the internet is too slow.

AT&T Wifi did work

On check out the front desk was very concerned about my stay,,,, I mentioned the room service and he said next burger was on them.
I mentioned the alarm at 0300 and said he would stop that
Also, the internet speed - said not much he could do about that one though---

Over all I slept great in a clean environment with A C that was okay and could endure the internet problem if for only one night, but if I was on a longer layover assignment it could be real boring without Netflix/Slingbox or unable to work online to finish personal work.

 

Anybody tried on (have photo) of PPE gown or suit referenced in latest FCIF? Are we talking MOPP IV here?

 

Asia One at its finest
E2A9CE61-58FC-4AD5-8A65-2FC948A5B14D.jpg

 

I kinda like the goggles.

 

All kidding aside, how many more indignities are this crew force/industry going to accept in the interest of moving freight out of China. Fedex management seems happy enough to pass along pronouncements of ever intrusive and ridiculous requirements and our company, our management, eager to make big money off the backs of its front line employees, just passes along this garbage. I know those of us lucky enough to be senior or not on a fleet that goes to Asia can avoid this stupidity, but not all can. I wish our union would grow a pair and just say No, and strongly advise all to do the same. I know without a formal agreement by the company to do so, some of our pilots will continue to just fly into China and accept the conditions forced on them. I know Fedex's answer, if forced by lack of willing participants, would be just to open their wallet and pay more, but we are not even doing that. It's time to say, enough is enough.