'Air-rage' incidents are on the rise in China.
Last month, a Chinese passenger threw hot water at an air hostess on board an Air Asia flight from Thailand to China.
The flight returned to Bangkok and the pilot asked the passenger and her entourage of three others to disembark. They were reportedly upset over sitting arrangements.
Last week, two Chinese passengers who were upset about their flight being delayed and air conditioning being turned off opened the flight's emergency-exit doors, forcing pilots ot abort takeoff.
A total of 25 passengers—all part of a single tour group—were held for questioning while the rest continued on to Beijing aboard a separate flight.
China has the world’s worst record for flight delays because of heavy congestion and tight military control over airspace. Cancellations, delays and service complaints spark frequent incidents of air rage at airports and aboard flights, including those to and from foreign destinations. Brawls between passengers and attacks on crew are often filmed and posted online.
China's National Tourism Administration said it fully supported the police action and said it had ordered its Beijing and Kunming offices to carry out further investigations, suggesting more passengers could be implicated.
The names of all those found to have been involved would be placed on a “national uncivilized traveler record,” to be distributed to travel related businesses around the country, administration spokesman Zhang Jilin said. Names can remain on such lists for up to 18 months, during which travel agencies can decide whether or not to accept listed travelers.
Like the Chinese economy, its airline and tourism economy have taken off in the past 10 years.
Journalist and author of "China Airborne", James Fallows, told CNN the system was under pressure and many travelers were inexperienced.
"A population that is underprepared and a system that is particularly annoying; when they combine you see these results," he said.
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