Written by: Dave Owen

He won’t be punished because it was his first time ever on a plane

Have you ever been seated by the emergency exit on a flight and felt the needling temptation to pull the lever, just to see what happens? Well, a Chinese air passenger has beaten you to it.

Just as the internal flight from Hangzhou to Chengdu was preparing to take off, the passenger shoved open the emergency door to “get some fresh air,” according to attendants and fellow passengers. The incident was, of course, captured on multiple mobile phones and plastered across social media.



In a paean to Chinese efficiency the door was promptly fixed and the flight took off on time.

Even more amazingly the passenger will not be punished by airline Xiamen Air as it was the first time he had ever flown, which apparently makes it impossible to obey common sense and comprehend starkly signposted safety procedure.

“It was his first travel by air,” an airline staff member told the South Metropolis Daily newspaper. “He did not cause delay or any direct loss to the airline.”

It’s heartening to know that the ‘it’s my first time’ excuse still flies in China.

It’s been a bad week for Chinese air passengers, as over the weekend a separate group was blacklisted by tourism officials after scalding a Thai flight attendant with hot water and noodles when an argument broke out over seating.

So if you’re catching a flight in China this week, we recommend keeping your seatbelt fastened and your wits about you.