CX722 KUL –HKG on March 28 was diverted to CAN for a refueling stop due to being in the holding pattern for approx 1 hour.
Upon our arrival in CAN at approx. 6:30pm, the captain informed the passengers that this will be a short stop of around 2 hours while we refuel and depart to HKG.
After 2 hours, the refueling was completed and the captain made a second announcement, that we would have to wait another a little longer as now HKG was closed. By this time I suspected that the flight crew would be out of hours very soon and that a new flight crew would be required. Sure enough, within the next hour the captain made the announcement that “we are now out of hours” and we are talking with CX about the situation. About 1 hour later, new announcement “we are arranging with the Chinese flight authorities to allow us to send a plane from HKG to take you there, this make take 2-3 hours”.
After a another hour, “the Chinese have agreed to sending a plane to collect you, it will be here in 2 hours”
Another hour goes by, “the Chinese have changed their minds so there will be no flight and now we are trying to book hotels in Guangzhou for you as soon as possible”
Another hour later approx. 2 or 3 am “The Chinese will not allow any passengers to disembark as the terminals in CAN are full with passengers from all the diverted flights and the hotels in Guangzhou are full. Please make yourselves as comfortable as possible as you will be sleeping on board tonight. CX are aware of the situation and working on a solution”. Fortunately the flight was not full and there were many spare seats.
After another 4-5 hours, next announcement “a new flight crew will arrive in CAN at 9:30am and we will have you back in HKG asap”.
Eventually we land in HKG 12:40pm, 17 hours after the original arrival time.