In the early 1990's whilst inbound to HKG, (Kai Tak), I overheard a United 747 crossing the FIR boundary and be cleared to "TD and expect vectoring for the CC NDB approach to R13". The IGS was out for 3 days and R31 tailwind over limits. The CC NDB approach was a series of figure 8's to let down to a point where, if visual at the minima, the R13 lead in strobes were visible and a visual approach to the runway to follow. The United came back with a slow Texas drawl.." say what ma'am" ,, ATC explained what was involved but United made a request for " vectors to Taipei" explaining he had not done an NDB for over 20 years. All the way across the pacific to end up in Taiwan.
Loss of Basic skills???? been happening for awhile