I hesitate to generalize, but I have spent some time in China and one thing is clear — the rich and the powerful live by a different set of rules. I suppose that is true in any nation. That generalization sets us up for a scene that unfolded on United Flight 87 from Shanghai to Newark a couple days ago.
From passenger accounts, a man — probably not used to be told no — noticed that there were a few business class seats open on the flight and decided to upgrade himself onboard. He was caught, but rather than than make a walk of shame back into economy class he strolled back with a glass of champagne in one hand and his fist clenched in the other.
Not sooner had he been seated then he snuck back into economy class where he was again ordered to return to his seat. And again.
The crew demanded to see his boarding pass and where he was really seating, but he refused. The crew asked him to gather his belongings and get off the plane, but he refused. Then he got angry and decided to throw a fit. Thankfully the plane was still at the gate and airport police officials were able to nicely escort drag the man off the plane.
Check out the video here–
Unreal…
And the guy just could have paid up: the flight went out with open seats in business class.
Good thing it happened on the ground in Communist China. In Europe he would’ve sued for breech of human rights and won. In the U.S. an attorney would’ve used the now fashionable ‘affluenza’ defense.
This type of petulant behavior is seen in some mainland Chinese (recall the Chinese government has been campaigning for Chinese to behave themselves as tourists): pushing ahead of the line, rudely interrupting while at the check-in desk of hotels, demanding, rushing as they were on mach 4, etc. Ask Taiwanese what they think of the mainlanders.