A superstitious passenger delayed a flight.

A China Southern Airlines flight from Sanya to Beijing turned into a frustrating wait for passengers on March 6th. The flight, originally scheduled for a 10 am departure, was delayed by over four hours due to a rather unusual incident: a passenger throwing coins into the aeroplane engine, according to CNN.

According to Chinese state media, the cause of the delay came to light after a lengthy wait. Footage shared by media outlets showed a flight attendant questioning a passenger suspected of throwing the coins. The passenger, whose identity remains undisclosed, admitted to throwing “three to five” coins into the engine, likely for good luck.

This act of superstition caused significant inconvenience. The flight didn’t depart until 2:16 pm local time, only after a thorough safety inspection by maintenance crews. The airline confirmed finding coins during security checks but did not specify the exact number, as per the news outlet.

The incident prompted a strong reaction from China Southern Airlines. They took to their official Weibo account, a popular Chinese social media platform, to denounce such “uncivilised behaviours.”

The airline emphasized the dangers of throwing objects at airplanes, stating it poses a serious threat to aviation safety and will be met with punishment. While the post didn’t directly reference the specific incident, the timing and message left little room for doubt.

In 2021, there was another incident in China where a flight got canceled because a passenger believed throwing coins into the plane’s engine would bring good luck. The flight was supposed to carry 148 passengers from Weifang to Haikou. The person, named Wang, threw coins wrapped in red paper into the engine. Luckily, airport workers noticed some coins on the runway before the plane took off, and they informed the crew about the potential danger, leading to the cancellation of the flight.

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