An aircraft of Spring Airlines in Shanghai airport Photo: VCG

Spring Airlines Co., China's largest budget carrier, has come under widespread attention and public anger after one of its flight attendants posted insulting remarks about passengers online. The company said the flight attendant has been grounded, noting the employee will be dealt with according to the provisions in the employee manual.

The flight attendant made derogatory remarks about passengers on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, saying "All kinds of trash can take flights now, summer travel means transporting idiots." The post has caused widespread attention and public anger among Chinese netizens.

In response to the incident, Spring Airlines said it's conducting a thorough investigation and results will be released to the public.

"The airplane is a means of transportation for everyone, and there is no need for this flight attendant to adopt such a condescending attitude and look down on others," a netizen said on the Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo.

"Being a budget airline, Spring Airlines' services are truly unsatisfactory, and I will never choose to fly with this company again after experiencing it once," said another.

With many measures being taken to ease exit and entry restrictions at the beginning of this year, China's aviation industry is making a fast recovery, and many airlines have announced the resumption or increase of international and regional flights.

In the first quarter of 2023, Spring Airlines achieved an operating income of 3.863 billion yuan ($535million), an increase of 63.65 percent. This income set a record for the highest income in a single quarter since the epidemic three years ago, and also exceeded the income of 3.64 billion yuan in the first quarter of 2019 before the epidemic, and the recovery rate reached 106.13 percent.

The airlines not only achieved a comprehensive recovery in operating income and exceeded, but also successfully turned losses into profits, with a net profit of 356 million yuan in the first quarter, becoming the first airline in China to turn losses into profits.

Global Times