Flight delays are frequently caused by irresponsible passengers' unruly behaviour, which can range from overly extended seat-settling times to completely ignoring boarding calls. But a strange incident that happened recently in China has given this problem a new angle. A woman refused to stow her luxury handbag, claiming it was too expensive and from a renowned brand, Louis Vuitton.
According to The South China Morning Post, the Chinese woman's refusal to put her designer handbag under the seat in front of her when asked by a flight attendant caused a one-hour delay and had to be escorted off the plane.
As the video of the incident went to the Chinese social media app Douyin, it instantly went viral. The incident attracted 4 million views on Douyin and triggered heated discussions after a passenger posted a video clip of it. The passenger, who asked to remain anonymous, said the woman who was sitting in economy class insisted on putting her Louis Vuitton handbag next to her instead of under the seat in front.
The incident happened on August 10, and the flight from an airport in Chongqing municipality in southwestern China was already departing and had to return to the boarding gate. Passengers applauded when police escorted the woman off the plane.
The SCMP reported that a Louis Vuitton handbag costs about US$3,000 (Rs 2,51803) in China, and the economy class ticket for the flight from Chongqing to northern China's Hebei province, operated by China Express Airlines, costs 800 yuan (US$110).
The airline did not respond to questions about the case or reveal the outcome after speaking to the passenger. The offending passenger's identity was not revealed.The incident has sparked heated debate on mainland social media.
"She valued the bag more than her life," said one person on Weibo.
"The flight attendant could have offered her a bag to put her handbag in. Is it really necessary to waste an hour and kick her off the plane?" someone wrote on Douyin.
