KL808 Chinese routes

[gbusker]

Hi,

I frequently (once a month or so) fly as a passenger on KL808 from Taipei to Amsterdam.
Normally we fly along the coast over Hong Kong and then some convoluted route through China and finally something resembling a great circle to AMS.

For the first time (for me) last night KL808 flew NE over South Korea, and only turned left to join the great circle after Vladiwostok.

Can anyone explain this strange choice of route? The aeroplane was perfectly on time in AMS.

Typical: KLM (KL) #808 ? 01-Dec-2016 ? TPE / RCTP - AMS / EHAM ? FlightAware (http://uk.flightaware.com/live/flight/KLM808/history/20161130/1620Z/RCTP/EHAM)

Last night:
KLM (KL) #808 ? 02-Dec-2016 ? TPE / RCTP - AMS / EHAM ? FlightAware (http://uk.flightaware.com/live/flight/KLM808/history/20161201/1620Z/RCTP/EHAM)

Cheers,

Gerd.

[kcockayne]

I don't know the political requirements ref. China for flights to & from Taiwan - which might govern which route over China is flown; but it would seem to me that this route might be because of 1 military activity over China or 2 ( & more likely ) upper winds on the journey.