United Airlines and top Chinese tennis star in bust-up over ‘excess baggage’
Zhang Shuai said airline staff treated her aggressively during a row over hand baggage, but one person claiming to be on the flight said the tennis player thew a tantrum
Top Chinese tennis player Zhang Shuai has heavily criticised the embattled airline United Airlines, claiming a member of its staff was aggressive and insulting to her during an argument over hand baggage.
Another passenger claiming to be on the same flight, however, has rejected her account on social media and accused her of throwing a tantrum.
Zhang, who is currently the highest-ranked female Chinese singles player, was travelling on United Airlines flight UA735 from Tampa, Florida, to Washington on Thursday morning when she ran into problems at the departure gate.
A United Airlines staff member told Zhang her tennis bag exceeded the maximum size allowed in the passenger cabin, took it away without her permission and tagged the bag with a check-in tape, Zhang said in a Facebook post.
Zhang said the member of staff counted her two bags and five tennis rackets one by one, telling her she now had seven items of carry-on luggage.