Chinese passengers anger airline staff by refusing to hand over in-flight tableware

In the latest controversy involving Chinese tourists - a group of mainland travellers have upset Singapore Airlines staff by refusing to hand over 30 sets of stainless steel tableware during a recent flight, Chinese media reported.

It was only after repeated warnings from a tour guide that these passengers agreed to hand them back to flight attendants. 

The report cited a tourist guide - but did not say exactly when the incident occurred. It said the tourists were mainly from a small town in Zhejiang province.

The flight attendants told the tourists the stainless steel tableware could not be kept because it was going to be re-used - unlike plastic disposable items. But the tourists refused to hand them over. The tourists explained that relatives who had flown with Singapore Airlines in the past told them they could keep the tableware, the report said.

The astonished flight attendants then asked a Chinese tour guide for help. The affair finally ended when the guide told the tourists they were hurting China’s image abroad. “Stop hurting the reputation of Chinese people,’’ he said.