GYS : quote :
The second I called "Pan-pan" I was almost cleared direct the alternate. I am sure he was waiting for that call, so that any responsibility was taken out of his hands.
Common misunderstanding. in ICAO land PAN-PAN is just "an urgency message ,not requiring any assistance" , it wil clear the frequency to state your request(s), but that's about it. (ICAO- DOC 4444)
MAYDAY-MAYDAY on the other hand will get controllers to brake the rules to help and indeed it superseed "normal" rules and regulations, because it is a distress call and a statement of emergency.
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For info the Civil Chinese controllers we talk to are as frustrated as you and me about the military airspace situation, but they have to follows their SOPs like all of us.