Beijing Frans Vandenbosch 方腾波 16/09/2025 A short report of the first few days in Beijing Hainan Airlines flight HU494 BRU – PEKLast week, Hainan Airlines quickly swapped its scheduled Airbus A330-300 for a Boeing 787-9. Almost 10 hours in the air. Departed from Zaventem half an hour late. The plane was half full. Chinese airlines fly unhindered directly over Russia, giving them a significant competitive advantage over Western carriers: On the way, I saw a documentary about the global activities of Chinese state-owned enterprises. Impressive. CAAC, the Chinese aviation regulator, recently introduced strict regulations for battery packs. They must now all have a CCC safety label, otherwise they won’t be allowed on a plane.But SF-express courier service has found a solution: they’ll ship your old battery to your destination for next to nothing.I anticipated the new regulations and managed to buy a CCC-approved battery just in time. Very busy in … Continue reading Asia trip 2025 – part 1