Let Leaders Fly First – Documentation Shows Special Transportation Service to ‘Important Passengers’ by CAAC

• Author: China Law Digest compiled news

On the afternoon of May 8, Hainan Airlines flight HU7197, from Ningbo to Beijing with scheduled departure time of 6:00pm, was delayed by air traffic control because of weather conditions. However, Hainan Airlines flight HU7297, which was scheduled to take off at 8:50pm, took precedence over HU7197 for take-off because the former carried an “important leader.” Under pressure by passengers, one airport staff member disclosed that the crew tried to talk the VIP leader into changing his flight to HU7197, but he rejected the suggestion on the grounds of ‘safety concerns’. Chinese press cited the “Regulations of Providing Civil Aviation Service to Important...