A long exposure photo shows a family standing under the rain outside a railway station in Hefei, Anhui province, February 6, 2014. — Reuters picBEIJING, Feb 7 — A riot at a major airport in China by passengers angry about delays caused by heavy snow has marred the end of the traditional week-long lunar new year holiday, state media said today, as millions rush to return to work.
Passengers at Zhengzhou airport, capital of the populous northern province of Henan, stormed check-in desks and smashed computers and other equipment after the airport closed for more than five hours due to the snow on Thursday, newspapers reported.
Pictures on China’s Twitter-like Sina Weibo microblogging service showed police trying to calm angry crowds and broken signs at airline counters.
“There were not enough seats and passengers had to sit on their luggage eating instant noodles. The airport staff were indifferent and said ‘I don’t know’ to questions asked of them,” Henan radio said on its microblog.
The Global Times, a tabloid published by the official People’s Daily, described the incident as a “riot”. It added that the airport finally reopened late on Thursday.
New year is the country’s most important traditional festival – for many the only holiday of the year – and is marked by a mass migration as people flock home to spend it with families, crowding trains, buses and aircraft.
Traditional dancers perform during the opening of the temple fair for the Chinese New Year celebrations at Ditan Park, also known as the Temple of Earth, in Beijing January 30, 2014.
Traditional dancers perform lion dance during the opening of the temple fair for celebrating the Chinese New Year at Ditan Park, also known as the Temple of Earth, in Beijing January 30, 2014. — Reuters pic
Lanterns are hung in a Chinese temple ahead of Chinese New Year celebrations in Kuala Lumpur January 30, 2014. — Reuters pic
A Chinese family looks at a phone in a Chinese temple ahead of Chinese New Year celebrations in Kuala Lumpur January 30, 2014. — Reuters pic
A performer dressed as a Qing dynasty emperor rides a palanquin during the opening of the temple fair for Chinese New Year celebrations at Ditan Park, also known as the Temple of Earth, in Beijing January 30, 2014. — Reuters pic
Chinese Cambodian men perform a Lion Dance to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year at the Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh January 30, 2014. — Reuters pic
People rush to plant the first joss stick of the Chinese New Year at the stroke of midnight at a temple in Singapore early January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
People walk past a giant illuminated horse on display during Chinese New Year celebrations in Singapore’s Chinatown, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
A child holds up joss sticks during Chinese New Year Eve at a temple in Singapore January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
A man takes picture of fireworks celebrating the start of the Chinese New Year in Beijing early January 31, 2014. According to the Chinese lunar calendar, Chinese New Year welcomes the year of the horse on January 31. — Reuters pic
A fireworks display lights up a mall during a Chinese New Year celebration at Chinatown in Manila January 31, 2014. According to the lunar calendar, the Chinese New Year, which welcomes the year of the horse, falls on January 31. — Reuters pic
People burn incense for good fortune on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at Yonghegong Lama Temple, in Beijing, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
A vendor sells artificial flowers and apples, popularly used as decorations, on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at the Longtan park in Beijing January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Folk dancers hold horse models as they prepare to take part in a traditional horse dance on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which welcomes the Year of the Horse, at the Longtan park in Beijing January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Folk dancers huddled together during cold weather as they prepared for their performance on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which welcomes the Year of the Horse, at the Longtan park in Beijing January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
A woman prays inside a temple during Lunar New Year celebrations in Kuala Lumpur January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
People pray inside a temple during Lunar New Year celebrations in Kuala Lumpur January 31, 2014. — Reuters
People watch a lion’s dance performance inside a temple during Lunar New Year celebrations in Kuala Lumpur January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
People scramble outside a supermarket for candy during the Chinese New Year celebration in Manila’s Chinatown January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Folk dancers perform with horse models as they perform their traditional horse dancing on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which welcomes the Year of the Horse, at the Longtan park in Beijing January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Firecrackers explode as dancers perform a dragon and lion dance during the Chinese New Year celebration in Manila’s Chinatown January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
A performer blows fire during the Chinese New Year celebration in Manila’s Chinatown January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
A man prays for good fortune while holding incense on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at Petak Sembilan Temple, in Jakarta January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
A man prays for good fortune while holding incense on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at Petak Sembilan Temple in Jakarta January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
A girl walks through a Chinese portable shrine during the Chinese Lunar New Year at Chinatown in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Justin Trudeau, the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, greets shoppers while attending a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration at a shopping mall in Richmond, British Columbia January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
A lion dance is performed to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year as visitors watch in Chinatown in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
Worshippers burn incense to pray for good fortune on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which welcomes the Year of the Horse, at Dafo temple in Chongqing municipality January 31, 2014. — Reuters pic
A folk artist on stilts performs at a temple fair celebrating the traditional Chinese Spring Festival on the second day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at Dongyue Temple, in Beijing, February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
An acrobat performs a contortion at a temple fair celebrating the traditional Chinese Spring Festival on the second day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at Dongyue Temple, in Beijing, February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
Performers in Qing Dynasty warrior costumes ride rollerblades during a performance to celebrate the traditional Chinese Spring Festival on the second day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at the Old Summer Place in Beijing, February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
A father and daughter react to a Lion Dance performance at the entrance to a restaurant during Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown, London February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
Cubans perform a lion dance during Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in Havana’s Chinatown, February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
A child practices Taiji, a form of Chinese martial arts, during Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in Havana’s Chinatown, February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
Cubans dragon dancers perform during Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in Havana’s Chinatown, February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year in Hong Kong February 1, 2014. — Reuters pic
Acrobats perform on a tightrope at a temple fair celebrating the traditional Chinese Spring Festival on the third day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at Daguanyuan park, in Beijing, February 2, 2014. — Reuters pic
A boy poses for a photo with a peach tree decorated with artificial flowers at Daguanyuan park, on the third day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, in Beijing, February 2, 2014. — Reuters pic
A woman prays in front of a red lantern at a temple fair for the traditional Chinese Spring Festival on the third day of the Lunar New Year at Ditan Park, also known as the Temple of Earth, in Beijing February 2, 2014. — Reuters pic
Folk artist Hou Gouyi blows boiled sugar to form the shape of a horse at a temple fair for the traditional Chinese Spring Festival on the third day of the Lunar New Year at Ditan Park, also known as the Temple of Earth, in Beijing February 2, 2014. — Reuters pic
Domestic media frequently reports on incidents of passengers angered about delays attacking airline staff, storming onto grounded aircraft and destroying equipment.
The government has told airlines and airports to better explain the causes of delays and to provide free hotels and food, but the airlines complain the problem is rooted in an inexperienced travelling public which is still not used to problems associated with flying.
Air travel is booming in China on the back of explosive economic growth, driving huge orders for foreign aircraft manufacturers and an ambitious airport building scheme taking in some of the country’s most remote areas.
However, service standards have failed to keep up, many travellers complain. — Reuters
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