"I got on board, fell asleep and when I woke up I look out the window and thought I'd slept the full eight hours and we'd landed."
But Perth fashion and entertainment figure Jim Karadimas was in for a rude awakening on board a China Southern Airlines 787 Dreamliner set to fly to Guangzhou at 07:25am from Perth's International Airport on Thursday.
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Delay at Perth International Airport
Jim Karadimas is one of the passengers who has been delayed at the Perth International Airport.
"They told us that there was an issue and that they had to do some maintenance on the long runway and that we wouldn't be taking off," he said.
"And then an hour went by and then it wasn't till about ten we got off the plane and they told us we wouldn't be taking off until five!"
![Jim Karadimas' flight from Perth to Guangzhou with China Southern has been delayed 10 hours.](/web/20160902171642im_/http://www.watoday.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/6/j/9/j/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gr6i96.png/1472719227035.jpg)
"Then, when we did disembark, they gave us a fifteen dollar meal voucher to make up for it. I told them you've got to be kidding - you can't even get a coffee and a doughnut for that!"
Mr Karadimas said passengers were told that PIA's longest runway is given routine maintenance every Thursday between the hours of 8am and 5pm - and because of a delay with another Thai Airlines flight, their trip to Guangzhou missed its takeoff window.
"Mate, I'm pissed off - this kind of thing shouldn't happen. I mean they could have just delayed the work till we got the chance to take off. Would have saved us all a pain in the arse. I'm on my way over to Nairobi to attend a fashion show and I'll probably have to miss it."
For Mr Karadimas though, the worst part of the ordeal has been the struggle to find somewhere to settle his nerves with a cigarette.
![Care to soend 10 hours waiting here?](/web/20160902171642im_/http://www.watoday.com.au/content/dam/images/z/r/m/4/v/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gr6i96.png/1472719227035.jpg)
"I asked if I could go and have a cigarette and they told me if I went out of the terminal and smoked they would have to take my bags off the flight. So I had a word to the manager and ripped into them a bit and now I'm upstairs having a durrie," he said.
"These things happen, we all understand that. But a 10-hour delay is ridiculous. We're all just hanging around the terminal waiting for the flight to come around again."
In a positive development for Mr Karadimas, China Southern has arranged a new travel itinerary for him with rival airline Emirates so he will arrive in Nairobi in time for the fashion show.
"Talk about customer service, mate. The manager Nick has done a great job sorting things out. So I'm happy, I leave at seven and will get there on time tomorrow."
A spokeswoman for Perth Airport confirmed China Southern flight was unable to depart due to maintenance.
"Perth Airport is currently undertaking runway works to upgrade to a CAT III aerodrome. As scheduled, the main runway was closed from 7,30am this morning to allow these works to occur," she said.
"Unfortunately, China Southern flight CZ320 was unable to depart Perth this morning as their aircraft required the runway, which at the time of their departure was unavailable."
The issue has not impacted scheduled departure times for other flights from Perth.