Another ploy to avoid weather in China is to ask for "direct routing due weather ahead". It does start the dialogue with a possible solution and the lowly Controller who is possibly operating in the dead of night and virtually alone has an 'opt out' rather than being accused later of allowing an aircraft off track just for the 'direct' option. The response to "Fly flight plan route" can be countered by stating unequivocally that it is "Not possible due weather ahead affecting safety of aircraft". Then, "Mayday" etc.
I know I wasn't there and I do sympathise but the one thing you don't do in the tropics (or the MidWest in USA - or anywhere) is blunder into a CB! You have no idea what is going to happen next and, in this case, they stumbled out of the CB having written off the aircraft but now didn't even have a serviceable radar making it quite likely that they will repeat the performance until, presumably, they crash! Not a good plan whether I was there or not IMHO.
