Not all the delays were caused by the military. Simply they could not handle the busy traffic. Everyday at around mid-night, they would impose heavy flow control on the BEKOL route, eg, 20 min or 30 min flow restriction. They did that because they also had many flights going to Europe. To hold our European flights on the ground was the most effective way to solve the problem. At around 2 or 3 o'clock, the restriction would be cancelled because their European flights would have gone already - easy!
Some operators would flight plan A461 all the way to the North America. Flight plan filed and overfly permit ready, but they would hold you on the ground for hours for no reasons. It was simply crazy. Days ago, an United New York flight was cancelled because the crew had exceeded their duty time.
ZBAA and ZSPD were always the jokes. The built two airports with 3 to 4 runways each but they wouldn't let you go there. What's the point to build an airport with several runways. And they were talking about to build another airport in Beijing.
ZUCK and ZUUU were another mystery. Every evening flights going there had to delay for at least 5 hours. They would only let you to depart after mid-night. By that time, most of their domestic flights had already landed there - problem solved, easy!
If it happens everyday, that's their problem, no excuses.
Don't expect the CAD higher authority can do anything on it. You cannot expect anything from "Yes Men".
Poor flight crew, poor ground staff, poor passengers and poor front line air traffic controllers.
On the bright side, the high speed rail will be completed next year. I am sure you will arrive Beijing or Shanghai well ahead of taking planes.
Just wondering what were you doing in the cockpit during the long wait.