Alatnariver,
In Europe airlines actually ask for an early push and are quite happy to burn fuel at the hold.Pushed back on time.
Even our little airport has a remote hold where they go,and shut down waiting for slots.With slots it's easy.Just aim for earliest airborne time.HK is way different.It's a 1960's way of doing it when DC3's and VC8 ruled the roost.
The problems that CDC had to work out with Mainland restrictions were horrendous.Mainland would block levels,so you ended trying to work out the (procedural/metric level/nothing to do with me) problem on the ground at CLK.Why? Just get them airborne out of HK through Bekol climbing to medium level, and let Mainland sort their own problems.
I explained the Bekol problem,to a colleague in the UK,and he fell off his chair laughing.
HK ATC seems to be tasked with sorting out every other FIR's problems,usually on the ground.You can't run an ATC system with it's hand and feet tied up,and expect Heathrow movement rates.
