China travelers open emergency exits to protest flight delay

[Lite Beer]

China travelers open emergency exits to protest flight delay

CHRISTOPHER BODEEN, Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — Upset by a delayed flight, at least two Chinese passengers decided to open emergency exit doors in protest as the plane was taxiing, forcing it to abort takeoff and landing them in jail instead, police said Sunday.

The latest in a growing number of air rage cases involving Chinese travelers happened in the early hours of Saturday morning in the southwestern city of Chengdu, after the China Eastern flight was delayed by a snow storm.

Angry passengers complained about the delay and a lack of ventilation, and a man surnamed Zhou opened three emergency exits to prevent the plane from taking off, forcing it to return to the gate, according to state broadcaster China Central Television. A total of 25 passengers — all part of a single tour group — were held for questioning while the rest continued on to Beijing aboard a separate flight.

Kunming police said in an online statement that Zhou and a tour guide named Li have been placed under 15-day "administrative detention" for opening the doors and inciting passengers with false information.

The plane's ventilation system had been turned off for 30 minutes during de-icing work to prevent fumes from entering the cabin, China Eastern maintenance engineer Zhu Yun told CCTV. Although the co-pilot had been dispatched to explain, passengers remained irate even after the plane left the gate, reports said.

"Opening those doors was extremely dangerous because there was nothing to protect passengers from the force of the engines," Zhu said.

China's fast growing air travel market is the world's second biggest, but heavy traffic and tight military control of airspace have given it the world's worst record for flight delays.

Cancelations, delays and service complaints spark frequent incidents of air rage at airports and aboard flights, including those to and from foreign destinations. Brawls between passengers and attacks on crew are often filmed and posted online.

Concerns over lengthy tarmac waits prompted U.S. aviation authorities to pass regulations in 2010 requiring planes to return to the gate after three hours.

China's National Tourism Administration said it fully supported the police action and said it had ordered its Beijing and Kunming offices to carry out further investigations, suggesting more passengers could be implicated.

The names of all those found to have been involved would be placed on a "national uncivilized traveler record," to be distributed to travel related businesses around the country, administration spokesman Zhang Jilin said in a statement. Names can remain on such lists for up to 18 months, during which travel agencies can decide whether or not to accept listed travelers.

Zhang said travel agencies were responsible for informing their clients about acceptable behavior.

-- © Associated Press 2015-01-11

[Tomtomtom69]

This article is confusing. First it says Chengdu and then it says Kunming.

I'm quite sure it was Kunming because out of the two, Kunming is more likely to see snow. However, better checking of facts is recommended next time.

[JOC]

The real globetrotters!!

In Thailand also known as quality tourists!!

[NeverSure]

What's with these Chinese? I had a flight delayed for 12 hours at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and no one got unruly. 12 hours was enough time to make the flight back to the US. The passengers were mostly French, American and Canadian and they all just adjusted to the issue.

Is the culture in China that bad?

[InsertUserName]

you know a country has an etiquette problem when they have to institute a "national uncivilized traveler record"

[Fookhaht]

I just got back from a trip to Angkor Wat in Cambodia where there were hordes of Chinese tourists.

I am so sick of being pushed, shoved from all directions, walking in their spit, and being deafened by unruly shouting in restaurants, hotels and local temples.

[Publicus]

One central factor here is that, as anyone who's spent any time in the PRChina can attest, the Chinese are fanatical about being on time. There is only one time and that is the time on the clock. There is no early time, there is no late time for anything, none and nothing whatsoever.

That is not an excuse or a rationale for the lunacy of what happened on this flight.

I've seen passengers on a tourist motor coach bring other Chinese passengers to tears because they were 2 minutes late for a departure time.

There is perhaps no insult among the PRChinese that is stronger than being late. That these passengers went into a rage because of a snow storm delay at an airport is OTT. It would be good to see the CCP excise from its national school curriculum that Japan is the enemy of the PRChina and to insert some discussion of civility among one another instead.

Really, I noticed over time in the PRChina that the Chinese don't talk with one another, that outside of their family circle they instead speak stridently and loudly at one another throughout their everyday interactions. One Chinese born and raised gal I was talking with while she was visiting China but lived and worked in the US noted that the Chinese are not a happy people.

[Scott]

I had a very, very good friend from China. We met in the very late 1980's in Beijing. He had learned English, but had never had much of a chance to use it and hadn't heard many native speakers, so he had all these very weird pronunciations of words. Knife was pronounced with the 'k", for example. He was easy to understand, so it was quite fun to talk to him.

The first think he had to do was determine my position in familial manner. Should he call me cousin, or should he call me uncle? Age-wise, I fell between one of his cousins and his youngest uncle.

Spending time with his family was such a treat. All the horrible mannerisms seen publicly were not present in the household. Family members were treated with courtesy and respect. So, there is a polite side to the Chinese; it's just reserved for the people you care about.

When we headed back to the train station it was back into the battle field, pushing, shoving, elbowing.

A deeply interesting and enigmatic country.

[maapaa]

Upset about a safety related delay but opening the doors "to prevent the plane from taking off".

Well thought, man.

[A1Str8]

I would have knocked him out cold in protest as he's irritating. Besides he got nervous because there was a delay. Opening the emergency exit didn't seem to help with the delay. Is he retarded or something?

[arrowsdawdle]

This article is confusing. First it says Chengdu and then it says Kunming.

I'm quite sure it was Kunming because out of the two, Kunming is more likely to see snow. However, better checking of facts is recommended next time.

Snow in the destination city could delay a departure, but that still doesn't explain the mention of two cities.

[Robby nz]

We had a 4 hour wait in Amsterdam, the plane was there but the crew hadn't arrived.

[charmonman]

When I see these sorts of stories about the Chinese I am reminded of the lyrics of a John Lennon song.

"You think you're so clever and classless and free,

but you're still <deleted> peasants as far as I can see"

[Fookhaht]

I had a very, very good friend from China. We met in the very late 1980's in Beijing. He had learned English, but had never had much of a chance to use it and hadn't heard many native speakers, so he had all these very weird pronunciations of words. Knife was pronounced with the 'k", for example. He was easy to understand, so it was quite fun to talk to him.

The first think he had to do was determine my position in familial manner. Should he call me cousin, or should he call me uncle? Age-wise, I fell between one of his cousins and his youngest uncle.

Spending time with his family was such a treat. All the horrible mannerisms seen publicly were not present in the household. Family members were treated with courtesy and respect. So, there is a polite side to the Chinese; it's just reserved for the people you care about.

When we headed back to the train station it was back into the battle field, pushing, shoving, elbowing.

A deeply interesting and enigmatic country.

I have two very dear Chinese friends who are thoughtful, polite, and very empathetic individuals.

I just assumed they were the country's only two exceptions.

Thanks for the great insight.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Fookhaht

[Genericnic]

What's with these Chinese? I had a flight delayed for 12 hours at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and no one got unruly. 12 hours was enough time to make the flight back to the US. The passengers were mostly French, American and Canadian and they all just adjusted to the issue.

Is the culture in China that bad?

That's what happens when you think you have the Mandate of Heaven.

David

[Publicus]

One central factor here is that, as anyone who's spent any time in the PRChina can attest, the Chinese are fanatical about being on time. There is only one time and that is the time on the clock. There is no early time, there is no late time for anything, none and nothing whatsoever.

That is not an excuse or a rationale for the lunacy of what happened on this flight.

I've seen passengers on a tourist motor coach bring other Chinese passengers to tears because they were 2 minutes late for a departure time.

There is perhaps no insult among the PRChinese that is stronger than being late. That these passengers went into a rage because of a snow storm delay at an airport is OTT. It would be good to see the CCP excise from its national school curriculum that Japan is the enemy of the PRChina and to insert some discussion of civility among one another instead.

Really, I noticed over time in the PRChina that the Chinese don't talk with one another, that outside of their family circle they instead speak stridently and loudly at one another throughout their everyday interactions. One Chinese born and raised gal I was talking with while she was visiting China but lived and worked in the US noted that the Chinese are not a happy people.

Not to say that they are not happy but rather that they are suspicious of anything and everything. This leaves them very isolated and insular in their thinking about other people. Many times even their own family is not to be trusted.

One must remember that it was well into the middle of my life that the bamboo curtain was still up. The people are not dissimilar to the Thais in respect to a hunger for money. In days gone by the only people they could steal from was each other. As with all countries though (thanks to young people) this is changing though and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Even in Thailand where it just takes longer. Much longer.

As with Thailand, China needs the rule of law. It's still the case in emerging countries that what happens to you is completely arbitrary and uneven, strictly power and seniority related, predictable only in the sense that one can expect unequal and summary treatment.

The rule of law is still developing even in advanced societies and economies so it too still has its weaknesses. But the absence of the rule of law is a guarantee of endemic corruption, gross injustice, wild inequalities or equity.

Young people in the PRChina are generally more relaxed, enjoy their parents' money, are actually cheerful and optimistic, pleasant.

[samran]

One central factor here is that, as anyone who's spent any time in the PRChina can attest, the Chinese are fanatical about being on time. There is only one time and that is the time on the clock. There is no early time, there is no late time for anything, none and nothing whatsoever.

That is not an excuse or a rationale for the lunacy of what happened on this flight.

I've seen passengers on a tourist motor coach bring other Chinese passengers to tears because they were 2 minutes late for a departure time.

There is perhaps no insult among the PRChinese that is stronger than being late. That these passengers went into a rage because of a snow storm delay at an airport is OTT. It would be good to see the CCP excise from its national school curriculum that Japan is the enemy of the PRChina and to insert some discussion of civility among one another instead.

Really, I noticed over time in the PRChina that the Chinese don't talk with one another, that outside of their family circle they instead speak stridently and loudly at one another throughout their everyday interactions. One Chinese born and raised gal I was talking with while she was visiting China but lived and worked in the US noted that the Chinese are not a happy people.

Isn't another factor that general aviation in China is still controlled by the military. There is relatively limited commercial airspace leading to all sorts of delays across the board on flights. Basically people are getting sick of it and hence we are seeing more and more agitated as delays become common place.

Well that is one theory I've heard anyway.

[Publicus]

One central factor here is that, as anyone who's spent any time in the PRChina can attest, the Chinese are fanatical about being on time. There is only one time and that is the time on the clock. There is no early time, there is no late time for anything, none and nothing whatsoever.

That is not an excuse or a rationale for the lunacy of what happened on this flight.

I've seen passengers on a tourist motor coach bring other Chinese passengers to tears because they were 2 minutes late for a departure time.

There is perhaps no insult among the PRChinese that is stronger than being late. That these passengers went into a rage because of a snow storm delay at an airport is OTT. It would be good to see the CCP excise from its national school curriculum that Japan is the enemy of the PRChina and to insert some discussion of civility among one another instead.

Really, I noticed over time in the PRChina that the Chinese don't talk with one another, that outside of their family circle they instead speak stridently and loudly at one another throughout their everyday interactions. One Chinese born and raised gal I was talking with while she was visiting China but lived and worked in the US noted that the Chinese are not a happy people.

Isn't another factor that general aviation in China is still controlled by the military. There is relatively limited commercial airspace leading to all sorts of delays across the board on flights. Basically people are getting sick of it and hence we are seeing more and more agitated as delays become common place.

Well that is one theory I've heard anyway.

I'm sure that is still true and I know it drives the PRChinese up a wall and across the ceiling when anything scheduled doesn't happen precisely on the dot.

Things do run on time, from intercity coaches to trains and subways but not the airlines.

I'd be confident that if the PLA ran general aviation flights and schedules efficiently which is to say on time no one would care who's running it. But it does give the PLA a bad name.

I say PLA because of the complex way the CCP organizes its military forces. It's the PLA, then the PLANavy, the PLA-Air Force. All the officers across the services start out in the army and those that want the Navy go there and the same for the Air Force. There's no naval academy and no air force academy. So it's CCP screwy to have naval commanders at sea who were trained in the army. It also helps to explain why the Boyz in Beijing want to avoid war at all costs and that the Boyz just got their first and only aircraft carrier (from Russia) and why nobody knows what to do with the thing.

[ggt]

The Chinese...many of which have recently moved from the rice paddies to the middle class...feel entitled...want to be catered to...and refuse to act civilized while showing their axxes...

[jackh]

There is good reason China travelers go ballistic about these delays. It is not cultural based on Chinese view about being late. I live in China for 10 years now and travel a lot there. The problem lies with the airlines and their perceived ideas how customers are treated. The airlines do not believe passengers have to right to know anything about or even report to them when there is a delay. Nothing is announced and delays can and do last hours. If you ask an airline rep what is going on, they are instructed to lie and say anything they want to a passenger. Usually on the order that they do not know the reason or it is weather related. They will say the delay is maybe only 1 hour. After 2 or three hours later, the excuses still remain the same. Passengers know they are being lied to, but are powerless to do anything about it. After 4 hours delay, the airlines STILL continue to lie just to keep people from bothering them further. There are no CCAV rules the airlines have to follow regarding responsibility to their passengers.

The result of which people finally become very pissed off and it takes just one or two people to start trouble after which everybody joins in a violent response. I have seen the Kunming airport boarding gate totally destroyed by passengers angry at the lies and BS the airlines try to jam down the throats of the passengers. They have no idea how to manage their customers and create this trouble by their own volition. The Chinese passenger has little tolerance after hours hours of downright lying to them from the airlines.

Now inject passengers that have no experience traveling that have paid a lot of money to travel as a tour group. They pay this money only to sit in an airport going nowhere, so they feel ripped off by the tour company as well. They know it is nothing but lies being told to them about the delays, and they all lose it and start acting like the farmers that they are. Street justice preveils as this is the only thing they know.

Hence it is the airlines fault and their inability to manage relations with their paying customers.

[HooHaa]

The real globetrotters!!

In Thailand also known as quality tourists!!

Wow. It took all of two posts before someone trotted out that tired old quality tourist pony.

How long before a 99 cent breakfast remark it an allusion to thainess or digital pikeys.

Thai visa is getting tragically dull, especially given this was a chinese incident in China.