A strange incident unfolded aboard China’s Southern Airlines flight CZ8805, resulting in a frustrating delay of over four hours. The flight, initially set to depart at 10 am local time from the southern city of Sanya to Beijing on March 6, was held back after a Chinese passenger reportedly threw coins into the aircraft’s engine.
As reported by CNN, in the video, the flight attendant of flight CZ8805 is seen questioning the passenger who allegedly threw coins into the engine about how many coins had been tossed.
The passenger was heard on camera admitting that he threw “three to five” coins into the engine, which resulted in the delay of the flight’s departure. Following the confession, the flyer was taken away by airport police, as reported by Chinese Southern Airlines, according to state media.
The coins were found during security checks, according to China Southern Airlines. “The aircraft maintenance staff conducted a comprehensive safety inspection and determined that there were no safety issues before take-off,” said the airline’s customer service representative while addressing the state media.
Later, China Southern Airlines issued a warning against “uncivilised behaviours” on their official social media account, Weibo, on March 6, saying, “Throwing coins at the plane poses a threat to aviation safety and will result in different levels of punishment.”
The flight eventually left for Beijing at 2:16 PM, according to the flight-tracking websites Flightradar24 and Flight Aware.
Notably, this is not the first time that a flyer has been apprehended for throwing coins on or near a plane for “good luck”. Similar incidents have occurred in recent years in China, causing delays and frustration among crew members and other flyers.
Another China Southern Airlines flight was delayed in Guangzhou in October 2023 after a passenger was seen throwing coins towards the plane.
In 2021, there was another incident where a flight carrying 148 passengers from Weifang to Haikou got cancelled because a flyer was caught throwing coins into the plane’s engine. The person, named Wang, believed throwing coins wrapped in red paper into the engine would bring good luck. However, airport workers luckily noticed some coins on the runway before the plane took off and informed the crew, saving people from potential danger.
Likewise, an elderly passenger was seen throwing coins at a China Southern Airlines plane during boarding at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, claiming it was “a prayer for a safe flight” in 2017.
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