Authorities in Shanghai detained a woman after she brought a sugar glider onto a plane, forcing all passengers to disembark. The incident occurred on a China Eastern Airlines flight from Shanghai to Jinan, Shandong province, on June 10. The 34-year-old woman, surnamed Guo, violated safety rules by bringing the pet marsupial onboard. According to a police statement, Guo’s actions disrupted public transportation order, leading to her administrative detention for up to 15 days.
The China News Service reported that the sugar glider escaped from its owner before the aircraft took off but was eventually caught by other passengers in the cabin. Due to safety concerns, all passengers were evacuated, resulting in a one-hour flight delay. The plane later landed safely in Jinan.
China’s civil aviation authority prohibits passengers from bringing live animals into passenger cabins, except for pet dogs and cats, which must be consigned to the luggage area. This regulation aims to ensure passenger safety and maintain order during flights.
Two short videos of the incident circulated online, showing a flight attendant searching under seats and passengers arguing with staff at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport. A male passenger expressed dissatisfaction on Douyin, China’s TikTok, stating, “I am very dissatisfied. And the security checkpoint seems to have loopholes. This passenger brought a live animal onto the plane, and it ran away, forcing all of us to get off the plane and wait for an hour.” He also noted the lack of apology or compensation from the airline.
Guo’s actions sparked outrage among Chinese netizens. One person suggested she should be blacklisted by all airlines and banned from air travel permanently. Another questioned how she managed to pass security with the animal, emphasizing the potential dangers if the sugar glider had chewed through the plane’s circuits during the flight.
This incident highlights the importance of strict adherence to aviation safety regulations. In 2022, a similar incident occurred when a pet hamster was found on a flight from Zhengzhou to Dalian. The crew and its owner caught the hamster without affecting the flight.
The Shanghai incident underscores the need for vigilant security measures at airports and the potential consequences of violating safety protocols. Ensuring the safety and comfort of all passengers remains a top priority for airlines and aviation authorities.
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