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Tuesday, 26 February, 2013, 11:30am
Outrage after Chinese men on Air France flight take wine bottles 'to go'
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One of the men who took eight bottles of wine from an airline service cart, as posted on Sina Weibo. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Two Chinese men on an Air France flight recently shocked their fellow passengers by snatching eight bottles of wine from the airline service cart, ignoring objections from other travellers on board.
Wen Fei, a Chinese woman who works in Paris, wrote on weibo, China’s Twitter-like service, about her encounters with the two men who sat near her on flight AF132 from Paris to China’s central Wuhan city on Friday.
Wen said she tried to stop them after they each took at least eight bottles of wine and stowed them in their bags - without asking the flight crew.
“I explained to them it was not OK and interpreted the flight attendents' explanation in French, but they said it was none of my business, ” Wen told SCMP.com on Tuesday.
The two men, apparently drunk, then shouted at Wen in the Wuhan dialect, she said.
“They asked me to back off if I ever wanted to leave Wuhan in one piece,” said Wen.
The pilot later interfered and asked the men to stop fighting with Wen, she said.
“This kind of behaviour is demeaning for the Chinese travelling abroad,” she said.
Wen also posted a picture she had secretly taken of one of the two men. The photo shows a middle-aged man wearing glasses and well-dressed.
Wen’s post struck a chord with many netizens who said they, too, find the behaviour of some Chinese travellers appalling.
“The Chinese are always loud and jump queues to get on a flight – even when everyone has a seat,” said a netizen.
“They are used to ‘stealing’ from people in China and now they start applying that habit elsewhere,” commented another netizen, implying the two men might be powerful Wuhan officials.
The identities of the two men remain unknown.
Air France didn’t respond to the South China Morning Post’s request for an interview on Tuesday.
In a separate incident in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, a local CPPCC member and businessman, Yan Linkun, was caught on camera throwing a temper tantrum and smashing an airport check-in counter after he missed the deadline for boarding.
Yan has apologised to the airport and was suspended from his work, said reports from Chinese media.
After reading this article, people also read
acheong10 Mar 1st 2013
2:30pm
2:30pm
@lauyukeung - Your point is valid in principle. In the real world, however, most people judge based on perception, generalization, and profiling, especially when it comes to people from different ethnicity or background. The challenge is when there are over tens of millions mainland Chinese traveling, working, and studying abroad. Even a fraction of such population misbehave, it becomes a reality to other people's eyes. Once perception and stereotype are formed, it would take an even longer time for the image to break and it would take just one incident to enforce it again. As a person who moved to the US from HK at a young age, I can tell you stereotypes and how they impact people's daily decisions in the States are very prevalent. China has many challenges on its hands, but I hope the leadership will understand the importance and impact of perception and the damage some of its people are doing to the country. A perfect case study is Hong Kong - mainland Chinese relationship. If China does not roll out comprehensive social education to the broader public and enforcement methods to correct behaviors aside from education in schools, which will most likely benefit the very young, China can say good-bye to its 'soft power' ambition. Countries may like your money but they do not need to like your people. The sooner some in mainland China realize that anti-Chinese sentiment is not mainly in HK but in other countries as well, the sooner mannerism is placed as a high priority.
wu.lucymimi@gma... Mar 1st 2013
10:14pm
10:14pm
my god, Hong Kongers are such bigots, having lived in Hong Kong I know this for a fact, get off your high horse for god's sake, so yes, your from Hong Kong, but what about your parents,your grandparents, your great grandparents kk? whenever Hong Kongers insult mainlanders, you are in essence damning your own ethnic background, bc ETHNICALLY you are chinese. To your point I lived in Hong Kong and was born and grew up in Toronto, Canada, where there's a huge population of Hong Kongers who live in the suburbs, I can assure you, Hong Kong individuals need better social education too, as many of them are also rude, loud, bigoted indivuals who believe they're better in comparison to their "Mainland Counterparts" and living in the U.S. I know for a fact that most people don't really make the distinction between HK and Mainland China
tallywacker Mar 3rd 2013
6:00am
6:00am
I think 100 years of colonialism does indeed create a huge difference in culture but more importantly the differences between society and accepted social norms in HK and China greatly differ. Generally people in HK are much more civilised in contrast those that have always lived in mainland China. Many Chinese fled the mainland to escape cultural genocide and to live a life free from communism. I don't deny there is corruption in HK but in mainland China it is rampant. Having worked there for over three years I can assure you that cheating and stealing is common practice throughout all industries. More to your point although Hkers are from the same ethnic background there are huge differences in the way they behave and conduct themselves. A lot of Hk chinese abroad disassociate themselves from mainland chinese and quite rightly so. They were born and grew up with the same democracies as people from democratic countries. To say there isn't a difference between these two societies is ignorant.
tallywacker Mar 1st 2013
1:59pm
1:59pm
difficult to resist mainland bashing when you read reports like this...eight bottles is extreme and then to utter threats - who do they think they are? Definite victims of their own delusions of grandeur. @Lauyukeung - citing history as a reason for this kind of public behaviour is nonsense. It is typical of many wealthy mainlanders to do as they please in their own country - the law doesn't apply to them because they can buy their way out of trouble. You're right though, these two pigs are not a true representative of the poor Chinese majority and by your own logic they are obviously well-off and yet seemingly unable to act as a privileged citizen should - are you saying that the poor in China are more accustomed to foreign etiquette or that poverty makes them better people? As you put it we shouldn't get angry but rather be patient as we wait for the 'New Chinese' to stop stealing and spreading their primitive standards for the world to see? I think this has nothing to do with history or culture - this is a clear example of corruption and the behaviour it exudes.
lauyukeung Feb 27th 2013
11:28pm
11:28pm
@charlie 212, though you appear to be a China basher but I am sure you are not. Just allow me to elaborate further. There are millions of Chinese travelling or abroad in overseas countries at any one time, if they all behave as the guy on the plane, you will see chaos the world over, that guy is just not representative of Chinese by number.
People praise and admire the politeness and courtesy culture of Japanese people, but back in Tang Dynasty (about 1000 years ago) Japan sent thousands of students, monks and officials to China to learn about Chinese culture and civilization , as history recorded there were more than 200 Japanese in Xian (西安，China Capital then) studying and learning at anyone time, this lasted for many tens of years. For your information, the traditional dress of Japan (和服) highly resembles the Chinese traditional dress during Tang Dynasty.
All nations have ups and downs in their history. Except for the recent 35 years, China has been experiencing ongoing wars and in-fights for almost 100 years. And also the imperial state of Ching Dynasty was very backward during its last years in power. That is why China was so poor and the people were so low in education and backward in many areas. It would take generations for the new Chinese to catch up with the western world. So I would ask our foreign friends to be patient. Chinese have a long history and good sets of moral standard. I am sure China would contribute to the well being of the entire world.
People praise and admire the politeness and courtesy culture of Japanese people, but back in Tang Dynasty (about 1000 years ago) Japan sent thousands of students, monks and officials to China to learn about Chinese culture and civilization , as history recorded there were more than 200 Japanese in Xian (西安，China Capital then) studying and learning at anyone time, this lasted for many tens of years. For your information, the traditional dress of Japan (和服) highly resembles the Chinese traditional dress during Tang Dynasty.
All nations have ups and downs in their history. Except for the recent 35 years, China has been experiencing ongoing wars and in-fights for almost 100 years. And also the imperial state of Ching Dynasty was very backward during its last years in power. That is why China was so poor and the people were so low in education and backward in many areas. It would take generations for the new Chinese to catch up with the western world. So I would ask our foreign friends to be patient. Chinese have a long history and good sets of moral standard. I am sure China would contribute to the well being of the entire world.
VicSexton Feb 27th 2013
5:25pm
5:25pm
"“They asked me to back off if I ever wanted to leave Wuhan in one piece,” said Wen."
after a couple of days in Wuhan being cut into pieces would be a blessed relief
after a couple of days in Wuhan being cut into pieces would be a blessed relief
laurence.poon Feb 27th 2013
3:48pm
3:48pm
This guy looks not a poor guy and educated people.
But many Chinese are lack of morality or dignity.
I can easily understand what they thought, "if I don't take it, it is my loss. I prefer I don't lost any thing so I take it whatever the value it is and whatever it I need it"
Most Chinese people think this way.
I grew up in China and I am now in HK and travel a lot so I can think of Chinese in two ways.
During culture revolution, China destroyed all things including morality and respect of people, culture and nature.
Doing something for themselves are more safe than doing for other people.
China is getting rich but not basing on fairness. Unless they change the system.
I don't see any hope that they can do right things by themselves.
But many Chinese are lack of morality or dignity.
I can easily understand what they thought, "if I don't take it, it is my loss. I prefer I don't lost any thing so I take it whatever the value it is and whatever it I need it"
Most Chinese people think this way.
I grew up in China and I am now in HK and travel a lot so I can think of Chinese in two ways.
During culture revolution, China destroyed all things including morality and respect of people, culture and nature.
Doing something for themselves are more safe than doing for other people.
China is getting rich but not basing on fairness. Unless they change the system.
I don't see any hope that they can do right things by themselves.
dave Feb 27th 2013
2:49pm
2:49pm
These people are a disgrace to their country and race. China have many ethical and wonderful people and the actions of these minority will dent their reputation. Hope everybody reading this article will not take these people as examples. They are just misfits and the odd ones. They should be punished to show that the government does not condone such behaviour.
johnfra Feb 27th 2013
8:53am
8:53am
In colonial days when extraterritoriality applies to the "expatriates", no one dares to touch them. Seems with China's new affluence, no one dares to touch the travelling middle class for fear of losing their custom or business. So who says wealth is not everything?
jayb Feb 27th 2013
1:52pm
1:52pm
johnfra. history shows the "white" race got "extraterritoriality" (love that word, thx), not only in asia, also in africa and "lands of the colored people" NOT because they had $$$, rather they had guns. with guns, they acquired $$$. gun+$$$ = respect. the "belligerent" chinese tourist got only $$$, $$$ with no gun = NO RESPECT -:).
HiggsSinglet Feb 27th 2013
8:43am
8:43am
Hope the netizens in mainland will identify and post the names and background of these two morons!!!
hughbear Feb 27th 2013
12:56am
12:56am
Thugs, thugs, thugs.
Is this what the new China all about? No. The vast majority of the Chinese people are kind, caring, and respectful
A fish stinks from the head. Leaders in China have to behave properly, show respect for law and order, for themselves, and for the people around them.
These Chinese thugs with their ill gotten wealth are showing off at home and abroad. We should confront them and correct them, so that they know that their behavior is wrong.
Is this what the new China all about? No. The vast majority of the Chinese people are kind, caring, and respectful
A fish stinks from the head. Leaders in China have to behave properly, show respect for law and order, for themselves, and for the people around them.
These Chinese thugs with their ill gotten wealth are showing off at home and abroad. We should confront them and correct them, so that they know that their behavior is wrong.
lauyukeung Feb 26th 2013
11:03pm
11:03pm
Don't be too simplistic, China has a population of over 1.3 B spread out over a huge geographic area, the total population is almost 2 times that of the entire Europe combined, can you figure out the diversity of these people, what you see on a certain individual is not representative...
Try to imagine how the bureaucracy of a single country managing all the people of 10's of countries together. Think about the problems in food, education, and also control if you like, and how to make them behave properly.
Letting people to go out to see the world is the best way to educate the Chines people, but it take time, in time both China as a country and the Chinese would behave better. Let us be patient.
Try to imagine how the bureaucracy of a single country managing all the people of 10's of countries together. Think about the problems in food, education, and also control if you like, and how to make them behave properly.
Letting people to go out to see the world is the best way to educate the Chines people, but it take time, in time both China as a country and the Chinese would behave better. Let us be patient.
charlie212 Feb 27th 2013
11:28am
11:28am
What does the size of their population have to do with it ? what a silly comment to make. What is the foundation of your comment? So according to 'your' reasoning, if you compared a smaller populated country like canada to , lets say the united states (35 mil compared to over 300 million) , and the americans had this sort of rude reputation similar to chinese you would say it's because of their size and their diversity and they need time to adjust ? What a joke ! Mainland chinese are inherently rude, loud, obnoxious people who will do almost anything, i mean anything for any sort of financial gain. Even a dog living on the street is more well mannered than they are. have you ever gone on a holiday somewhere in asia (thailand, viet nam japan ?) and seen mainland chinese talking really loud across the restaurant, hoarding all the food from the buffet, cutting- or jumping to the front of lines. They are scum and it's no mystery why people in hong kong hate mainlanders.
wu.lucymimi@gma... Mar 1st 2013
10:18pm
10:18pm
my god, Hong Kongers are such bigots, having lived in Hong Kong I know this for a fact, get off your high horse for god's sake, so yes, your from Hong Kong, but what about your parents,your grandparents, your great grandparents kk? whenever Hong Kongers insult mainlanders, you are in essence damning your own ethnic background, bc ETHNICALLY you are chinese. To your point I lived in Hong Kong and was born and grew up in Toronto, Canada, where there's a huge population of Hong Kongers who live in the suburbs, I can assure you, Hong Kong individuals need better social education too, as many of them are also rude, loud, bigoted indivuals who believe they're better in comparison to their "Mainland Counterparts" and living in the U.S. I know for a fact that most people don't really make the distinction between HK and Mainland China
syracuse37 Feb 27th 2013
8:41am
8:41am
Well Chineses keep remembering the whole world about there 4000 now 5000 and soon 6000 years of history and culture, they were some of the first culture to travel abroad and do commerce if that is not long enough , how long will it take? The 1.3 billion is not relevant in a case like this, Japan has a more dense population than China and people are more respectful of law. I have seen man like this one before in China at airport you see them all the tame. Truth is they often are official in country side and are use to be all mighty and they can't take no for an answer. I think most of Chinese behave well when travelling abroad, I think most of official from large province also behave well. What I do hope is that official like this one get dismissed of their position and that the good efforts of Xi Jiping to clear the party continues and help.
jayb Feb 27th 2013
5:15am
5:15am
traveling helps to "civilize" a people. americans have been traveling aboard since 1950s but until today, in latin america, europe, we still have the "ulgy american" image.
acheong10 Feb 27th 2013
2:21am
2:21am
lauyukeung - Your point is valid in principle. In the real world, however, most people judge based on perception, generalization, and profiling, especially when it comes to people from different ethnicity or background. The challenge is when there are over tens of millions mainland Chinese traveling, working, and studying abroad. Even a fraction of such population misbehave, it becomes a reality to other people's eyes. Once perception and stereotype are formed, it would take an even longer time for the image to break and it would take just one incident to enforce it again. As a person who moved to the US from HK at a young age, I can tell you stereotypes and how they impact people's daily decisions in the States are very prevalent. China has many challenges on its hands, but I hope the leadership will understand the importance and impact of perception and the damage some of its people are doing to the country. A perfect case study is Hong Kong - mainland Chinese relationship. If China does not roll out comprehensive social education to the broader public and enforcement methods to correct behaviors aside from education in schools, which will most likely benefit the very young, China can say good-bye to its 'soft power' ambition. Countries may like your money but they do not need to like your people. The sooner some in mainland China realize that anti-Chinese sentiment is not mainly in HK but in other countries as well, the sooner mannerism is placed as a high priority.
HiggsSinglet Feb 26th 2013
8:15pm
8:15pm
Well sounded like someone in the seat of power and abuses it will do something like this!!! Shame shame shame shame shame!!!
mercedes2233 Feb 26th 2013
8:09pm
8:09pm
The bottles of wine served on planes are mini-bottles, certainly not full-sized.
jayb Feb 26th 2013
6:32pm
6:32pm
on second thought, this story DOES NOT make sense!
Ms Amy Li said two chinese males, each took (stole) eight (8) bottles of wines (that's 16 bottles altogether) and stuffed the wines into their bags.
1. a case of wine is 12 bottles, and you are saying 16 bottles, 750 ml bottles, "from the cart"? the cart is not big enough to carry 1-2 cases of wine roving up and down the aisle. are you sure? i fly a lot, never saw service cart carry more than four 750 mL bottles of wine at any time and you are saying the guys took 16 bottles? (you really believe everything you read on the net? -:)
2. if Ms Amy Li meant each man "stole" 16 tiny 50 mL bottles (*standard on flights) that's 800 mL of wine, a little more than a standard 750 mL bottle of wine. BIG DEAL!! a regular drinking pax consumes half a bottle on long distance flight.
is taking the wine crass? sure. low class? may be. but so are people over drinking on flight... definitely not uncommon in any country, not just chinese...
calm down guys/gals. what this story is about, even if it's true, two chinese guys took about 750 mL of wine (a standard wine bottle). the carrier considers this a non event so they didn't bother to respond to SCMP. i wouldn't. for a bottle of wine and some rude passengers?!!!
doesn't make sense. if the math ain't work, you must acquit! -:)
Ms Amy Li said two chinese males, each took (stole) eight (8) bottles of wines (that's 16 bottles altogether) and stuffed the wines into their bags.
1. a case of wine is 12 bottles, and you are saying 16 bottles, 750 ml bottles, "from the cart"? the cart is not big enough to carry 1-2 cases of wine roving up and down the aisle. are you sure? i fly a lot, never saw service cart carry more than four 750 mL bottles of wine at any time and you are saying the guys took 16 bottles? (you really believe everything you read on the net? -:)
2. if Ms Amy Li meant each man "stole" 16 tiny 50 mL bottles (*standard on flights) that's 800 mL of wine, a little more than a standard 750 mL bottle of wine. BIG DEAL!! a regular drinking pax consumes half a bottle on long distance flight.
is taking the wine crass? sure. low class? may be. but so are people over drinking on flight... definitely not uncommon in any country, not just chinese...
calm down guys/gals. what this story is about, even if it's true, two chinese guys took about 750 mL of wine (a standard wine bottle). the carrier considers this a non event so they didn't bother to respond to SCMP. i wouldn't. for a bottle of wine and some rude passengers?!!!
doesn't make sense. if the math ain't work, you must acquit! -:)
auyeungy Feb 26th 2013
9:53pm
9:53pm
what a chump you are. it's not how much they took, but the fact they took it that was the point. didn't your parents teach you any basic manners?
jayb Feb 27th 2013
5:30am
5:30am
i presume you don't think there is a problem if the same guy drank 8 bottles of 50 mL wine? how is this different from the guy took 8 bottles? i am NOT approving either behavior but bad behavior is not unique to chinese. if you fly enough, you will see bad behavior is common among american also and i am not going to jump up and down ....
AntonyfromSilic... Feb 26th 2013
5:50pm
5:50pm
There may be payback already; my last time in Paris, at a sidewalk cafe, a mainland couple grabbed the elbow of a waiter to get his attention from another table. After the very short conversation the waiter and staff then purposely ignored the couple for the remaining 45 minutes I was there....
jayb Feb 26th 2013
5:50pm
5:50pm
allow me to relate two of my own... just two although these are very common on US domestic flights, a huge headache for business fliers...
1. i was flying from Miami to LAX. a fat white guy (not sure of his nationality although he spoke in a midwest accent) brought on a double pounder, a small pizza, a double size coke, cheetos and other snacks (names i don't even know). for the next four hours i was subjected to the bad aroma of his fast food and continuous eating. as we deplaned at LAX, i saw ketchup sauce on his XXXL size T shirt.
2. i was on a flight from Denver to San Francisco. the little kid behind me (a blond boy, no more than 10 yrs old, not sure of his nationality) keep kicking my seat back. after 30 minutes of having my back kicked continuously, i went to the flight attendant politely asked for intervention. the attendant told the boy and his mother to stop the kicking. it worked for a while until an hour later the kicking resumed. i requested seat change but the flight was full.
these were just common flying experience here in good ol' USA and i would not be jumping to conclusion calling the male foodist, the kicking boy and his mother "shameless" or "ugly" let alone tag them as "american this and that". there are good people and ugly people everywhere. if we do a blog about "ugly china men", let's in the name of "fair and balance", also see some "ugly american" or "nasty britain". do they still teach "fair and balance" reporting at Mizzou?
1. i was flying from Miami to LAX. a fat white guy (not sure of his nationality although he spoke in a midwest accent) brought on a double pounder, a small pizza, a double size coke, cheetos and other snacks (names i don't even know). for the next four hours i was subjected to the bad aroma of his fast food and continuous eating. as we deplaned at LAX, i saw ketchup sauce on his XXXL size T shirt.
2. i was on a flight from Denver to San Francisco. the little kid behind me (a blond boy, no more than 10 yrs old, not sure of his nationality) keep kicking my seat back. after 30 minutes of having my back kicked continuously, i went to the flight attendant politely asked for intervention. the attendant told the boy and his mother to stop the kicking. it worked for a while until an hour later the kicking resumed. i requested seat change but the flight was full.
these were just common flying experience here in good ol' USA and i would not be jumping to conclusion calling the male foodist, the kicking boy and his mother "shameless" or "ugly" let alone tag them as "american this and that". there are good people and ugly people everywhere. if we do a blog about "ugly china men", let's in the name of "fair and balance", also see some "ugly american" or "nasty britain". do they still teach "fair and balance" reporting at Mizzou?
wrath of God ! Feb 26th 2013
3:48pm
3:48pm
it is indeed a shame to all Chinese in the world, especially those live on Mainland China where greed and dishonesty have both become a norm of lifestyle or a symbol of moral decline, to be sure. Rising as the No.2 world economic power and the No.1 military power is nothing if her wealth doesn't bring along with civilized manners in public places, especially in foreign lands ! How can you expect other nationalities to respect you if you don't respect yourself/ yourselves ? These two guys from Wuhan are a shame to themselves and all Chinese indeed !
fcaruso Feb 26th 2013
3:25pm
3:25pm
Savages. That's what we call them. The Chinese have their own terms for them too.
crbfile Feb 26th 2013
1:52pm
1:52pm
1- the two men taking the bottles were taking advantage, but probably not breaking the law. the wine is free, but within reason, so it is a gray area. Gray area is in fact a typical Chinese profit area.
2- China is certainly not suitable for democracy. SO everyone just drop it and forget it.
2- China is certainly not suitable for democracy. SO everyone just drop it and forget it.
theChopSueyMan Feb 26th 2013
12:47pm
12:47pm
Ashamed to read such articles ... Grow up mainland officials! If you truly love your Party, you would not make such demeaning spectacles of yourselves - with great power comes great responsibility (words from a comic book but so true) ....
ninacheung Feb 26th 2013
11:50am
11:50am
Why didn't the airline contact authorities and have the two men arrested for theft upon arrival in Wuhan?
newgalileo Feb 26th 2013
11:36am
11:36am
The good thing about the "ugly Chinese" incidents is that other Chinese people react, in one way or the other. Education needs to start with the people. Way to go. Otherwise, what can you expect of the image of Chinese travelers in the eyes of the world, with over 80 million going abroad last year?
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