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Subscribe to RSSBEIJING – Workers around the world sometimes get a little extra cash for jobs with tough occupational hazards, but what do you give an airplane cabin crew that successfully thwarts a hijack attempt?
In China, quite a bit.
Chinese netizens were buzzing on Monday about payouts to crew members of a Tianjin Airlines flight who foiled an attempted hijacking in China’s troubled Xinjiang Province 11 days ago
Hainan Airlines, the parent company of Tianjin Airlines, gave two onboard security officers and the chief flight attendant a cool million yuan each ($157,000), houses said to be worth 3 million yuan each ($470,000) and brand new Audi cars.
Other crew members involved in foiling the hijacking were awarded a half million yuan ($80,000) each and apartments said to be worth 2 million yuan ($315,000) per person.
In addition to that windfall, the provincial government in Hainan, where the airline is based, awarded all the crew members half a million yuan ($80,000).
Details have slowly emerged about the incident, with state media reporting that six people tried to hijack the flight 10 minutes after it took off from the Hotan, a city in the northwestern province of Xinjiang, headed to the regional capital, Urumqi. The hijackers reportedly disassembled a pair of crutches into metal rods and attempted to rush the cockpit.
The region, home to the Uighur ethnic minority, is known for its separatist movement, so the alleged hijackers were quickly labeled terrorists by the Chinese media.
After the violence broke out, the reports said, passengers, cabin crew and air security fought back, subduing the hijackers while the pilots turned back and landed safely back at Hotan. The two air police officers were seriously injured during the attempted hijack, while the head flight attendant and seven passengers suffered minor injuries.
Two of the hijackers wounded during the attack died of their injuries, according to news reports.
The announcement of the hefty awards generated a lot of buzz on China’s Twitter-like service, Weibo, mostly congratulating the crew for their bravery and service to the 100 passengers onboard. However, some of the comments questioned the large financial prizes to the crew.
“It's necessary to give them [the crew] rewards, but isn't it too much?” wrote one commenter. “If they want to give rewards, shouldn't those passengers on the plane be given more?”
Others took a similar tack with a healthy dose of sarcasm.
“Hainan Airlines is really rich! Next time I will also fly Hainan planes and hope to have the same good luck!” wrote another.
“In the future I will take more flights in Xinjiang – it’s much more reliable than the lottery,” another chimed in.
Unusually, Chinese state media has given the hijacking, dubbed the “6.29 Hijacking,” more coverage than previous cases involving ethnic unrest, with many details about the incident and warm articles emerging about the heroic crew.
Meanwhile, the government has responded to the incident by tightening flying restrictions in the region. Last week, the government announced new security measures that requires handicapped passengers in wheelchairs or passengers on crutches to show a hospital-issued certification, and passengers flying from the heavily Uighur city of Kashgar are now required to check in crutches and wheelchairs.
NBC News’ Horace Lu contributed to this report
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Leave a Comment:
Sounds like a staged excuse to kill off the Uighurs. May not be, but seems fishy to me.
Remember that time Russel Crow was fightin round the world and he was in China? lol... That was so funny.
If that was an American air service, everyone would have been instructed to lie down, obey the hijackers, and let the 'experts' handle the problem.
The 911 hijackers had nothing more than box-cutters. After five decades of obedience and dependence on Government solutions, Americans had become sheeps, cooperated with the hijackers in the hope of being spared the slaughter.
The Chinese crew and passengers? They kick the hijackers' ass, all six of them, two dead.
Economy in China is good I see.
excellent work for all who participated
10 points for the chinese
nothing better than intelligent peeps knocking out the idiots
im glad to hear china can be generous
booooom baby good job
Sounds like it was something well worth the money. After this anyone trying to hijack a plane will be swarmed with those after a payday.
"Two of the hijackers wounded during the attack died of their injuries..." Right (wink, wink). Died of their injuries (wink, wink).
Why hold a trial when you can 'off' them in their hospital room?
Oh, I'm sorry. Is my sarcasm coming through just a little too strong? Considering how the Chinese government handles dissidents and other such riff-raff....
These guys tried to hijack a plane. Hijacking a plane is a serious crime everywhere and is almost always linked to terrorism these days. Would you rather 9/11 happened all over again?
I believe that more people here in the U.S. being arrested should die of their injuries. And you know who you are!
Freedom in China equates to being a terrorist.
so hijack a plane is call freedom now??
I wouldn't care if they were armed with toothpicks, Anyone trying to take control of an aircraft I'm in that's 10's of thousands of feet in the air I wouldn't be gentle with.
What kind of injuries did the die from if no weapons are aloud on board. I would have beat the @!$%# out of them too, but not straight up killed them.
They turned a pair of crutches into metal rods. It could very well be that a security guard had wrestled out one of the rods and started beating them with it. A couple of whacks to the head could cause a skull fracture.
And when it's that kind of life or death situation, I wouldn't be surprised if they took the mentality of "hit 'em until he stops moving."
I would have. One less terrorist to worry about for the next flight. People say you'll die when it's your time.. well what if I was on a plane and it was the pilot's time? Take matters into your own hands instead of being like lemmings.
Rule #2 - Double Tap.
The kind that kill you if you're a terrorist!
Taxme -
Do you recall that here in the US, a disruptive passenger died when other passengers sat on him to keep him restrained until the plane could land? Violent confrontations (especially in close quarters) can easliy result in fatalities.
magnetic, you are such a generous person. You would handle them with gloves, so God forbid, you may injure them. Never mind that they jeopardised perhaps 180 innocent lives that had nothing to do with their problem, they would let them die without remorse. You should go to heaven, I will myself put in word for you.
Apparently they didn't do it hard enough for the other 4 terrorists. Too bad.
"Two of the hijackers wounded during the attack died of their injuries, according to news reports."
Seems as if all six of them should have died from rapid deceleration trauma due to contact with the ground after being dropped out of the door of the airplane!
I KNOW I KNOW! You can't open the doors during flight. But wouldn't it have been great to just drop them out the door after they were subdued?
Actually, I think you can open the doors once below a certain altitude and the plane is depressuriized. Some one will clearly correct me if I am wrong.
But I like the way you think.
MSNBC forums, where sociopaths can be sociopaths.
These guys are terrorists. The only time you let a terrorist live is when you have unanswered questions.
If there were more incidents like this, there would be fewer incidents like this. Just sayin sometimes cops and courts just get in the way.
Trouble is, cops seem to enjoy putting drug addicts in jail and letting dangerous criminals go free due to "lack of space".
I bet nobody messes with that airline, ever again...
People die while speeding and DWI but people still do it anyways. Just saying...... people will continue to do stupid things
Typical media behaviour. Focusing on what happened instead of WHY the hijacking occurred.
"Focusing on what happened instead of WHY the hijacking occurred."
There is no reason for any political group to hijack any plane or ship. I don't want to hear or understand how noble their political agenda.
My only disappointment is the crew and passengers didn't kill all six hijackers.
Reason terrorists hijack a plane is to grab attention to their cause or voice their protests.
So....... you want the media to accomplish that goal? Plaster their terrorist group's names and grab attention to their causes? It's like the little brat that yells and screams in the store to gain his mom's attention. And if that doesn't work, start throwing and breaking things.
Sorry but I don't really care about why they tried to hijack a plane except that they got stopped and 2 of them ended up dead. Good riddence.
In this country you foil a bombing attempt in Atlanta a few years ago like that security guard did by warning people to get away from the bomb and you get charged with being the bomber before the government comes to their senses.
Maybe the Chinese could publish a "Flight Procedures Manual"..........and make it available at WalMart...........
hee hee hee +10
I wish more american airlines would do something like this Im happy to see that the people that put there life on the line got rewarded
In this country they would have been put on the No Fly List
It wasn't a reward, it was hush money to keep the their stories straight. Nothing more than a racially provoked fight on a plane.
"racially provoked fight"?
Did you even read the article? They hid weapons inside the crutches. This was a planned hijacking.
Heroism at it's highest. And I love how many misconceptions about Asia there are. If America is raising people to think like this I'd be happy to see Asians put the boot up Americas ass. It's good once in a while to be put in your place. And I believe America is way over due. (this coming from an American citizen)
China has embraced capitalism with a passion, meanwhile we are literally becoming fat dumb and lazy, (and entitled to boot). China is already giving us a boot up our ass and if we don't get back to business we deserve it.
China IS a COMMUNIST NATION. The ONLY reason you rightests call them capitalist, is that you get a good profit from their structure. There is NO difference between their government and Cuba , except possible profit ratios. Playing nice with COMMUNIST CUBA hurts the Sugar & Tourism industry. Not enough to exploit there.
They have public NO OPTION health care there. Here??You call that socialist. Anyone defending a public "OPTION" you call a "COMMIE" . Rather ironic .
So your shipped out factories are giving you gross profits, at the deterioration of your own country. But , wait a minute, put a US Chinese made flag pin on you lapel and your a patriot.
Doesn't matter, pay off the right representatives and It's all good.
Scar:
I hope you travel more around the world and get to know each nation's economic system, including China.
Scar is just talking out his ass. And I guess you have a point Val.
China has a home-grown problem the USA doesn't have, this ongoing active and serious ethnic battling among Uighurs and non-Uighurs which over recent years has exploded in a number of very serious events. Cannot tell from this news post if that issue is behind this particular hijack attempt, but you can see how an airline that is exposed to the risks from one side or the other of that ongoing "war," wanting to publicly encourage others to step up during a flight and quell another hijack attempt if it were to happen again. I suggest that US Airlines provide some reasonable recognition or reward for citizens and employees here who aid in subduing hijackers. Since we don't know all the facts of what actually happened on the Tianjin Airlines flight, we have no factual basis to assess how proportionate the rewards are here; you would expect folks running a business had a rational basis for the rewards handed out.
I'm not normally a conspiricy theorist.. but the money does sound fishy... along with the "deaths" due to injuries... how do all 6 hijackers die.. from no weapons.. and that much money would never be given to heroes aboard other airliners..
Its called being beaten to death by a mob of pissed off passengers.
Jim98 -
TWO of the six hijackers died from their injuries.
Reading comprehension is so important.
Not to mention the hijackers disassembled some metal crutches. If the passengers took that away and started smashing them, they could easily die.
It was only 2 not 6 who died from their injuries, so far...
Missa Chan. You now have uh many money and beautifo home. What you plan to do with weward money?
I firs want tank Hu Jintao our supweem weader for he's vewy genorus weward monee. I want tank piwhut for fly de plane safwee to ground and no crash. I Ahso want tank Hu Jintao our supweem weader for bring our countree togethuu for many peeples.
I want to make visa to go America an see DizneeWannd. I will ahso go Las Wegas to visit Bunny Wanch.
You put alot of time and effort into this reply...Two thumbs up for originality...
The American version:
Sweet Thang Girl: You know, you got some serious coins, what ja going do, Girl? What yo going to do with them loot, Hole?
First, I wanna give a shout to my man, Obama, our SuperShaft for his respect and donation. I wanna thank myself for making possible the pilot 'getting down' the plane. I also wanna high-five Brother Jesse and Brother Hulk Hogan for inspiration for my generation.
I wanna boogie down with some good hits with my Homies and retail a few kilo, you know what I mean, man? Then may be I'll cruise into Holes' City in the desert for some hot action. Like you know, we is just chilling out....... Just saying.
They should secretly install sleeping gas tanks in the crew sections of planes and if the plane is being hijacked the pilot can release the gas and put everyone to sleep. Then return to the air port. Checks each time before take off need to be performed by trusted people to make sure the gas isn't tampered with.
I agree...In other countries this might work....but, here in the United States we have too many lawyers...this would never work...what happens if someone was allergic to sleeping gas...oh the lawsuits....
Why not had out guns to all the passengers when you get on the plane and give instruction on how to fire it...instead of how to hook up your seat belt...if you don't know how to use a seat belt by now you shouldn't survive the crash
TOO BAD WE CANT TREAT OUR 911 HEROS THE SAME.
STILL NO HEALTHCARE TO MANY OF THEM!
OH, AND OUR HEROS THAT SERVED IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THEIR LIVES RUINED AND NOTHING!
We jump at every opportunity to critize the Chinese but never stopped to think if thats something we should've learn from them and self reflect.
I served in both wars, but got no support when I got back, our government should be ashamed in their policies and action, we can actually learn something from the Chinese here.
Our 9-11 heros died in the air. They don't want a new car.
Talking about the firefighters and others at the site helping in the immediate aftermath... they want healthcare for cancer they got
You served in "both wars?" Which ones? Vietnam, Korea, WWII, WW I, Just Cause, Urgent Fury, etcetera?
You are a veteran; not a special veteran. Don't rely on a rep for special consideration.
Yeah getting taxed on a bonus for doing a tour in Iraq is pretty shameful! Yep, 19k back from an original 25k bonus is outright theft, thank you US Army!!!
WTF you talking about? As a Afghan/Iraq Vet, I don't need a parade, trophy or even a party to confirm my services. No healthcare and lives ruin after getting out? IF you have any service related injuries/illness, you will get veteran disablity and vet healthcare for that injury/illness for life. I should know because I am getting it.
FWI, there are lots of programs and benefits out there that helps vets buddy. Maybe you ignored it throught your years in service. Biggest one is the GI bill. Earned a degree using that GI bill which resulted in NO STUDENT DEBT. In this economy, that is huge. In my civilian job, I'm making the same amount as my co-workers. Only difference is that they are paying their 20-60k in student loans while I'm not. More $$ in my pocket. Plus my state offers the Hazelwood Act that offers 100 more free credit hrs for universities and colleges once my GI bill runs out.
Then there is the VA loans to help get you that home with no downpayment and low interest rates, discounts from businesses, and many more. And businesses have a huge preference toward the military vets due to maturity, leadership, work under pressure, less bagage and can be easily trained. We have a huge advantage in this recession over everyone else.
Quit acting like a spoiled brat and expect everyone to give you a trophy and spoonfed you.
I seriously doubt you are a military veteran. Every vet get a class on what benefits you receive to help transition before getting out.
China is hiring our best flight attendants.
This is not news.
It's funny that US news media report that the most prestigious car to own in China is American made cars, but when the employees are rewarded they are given and Audi. Hmm who's BSing, who. With all the other large rewards, it seems they wouldnt have spared the expense from Audi to American made.
Its also funny that American news media have not run this story into the ground, like they do everything else.
I don't know why US media would report that the most prestigious cars to own in China are American made cars...?
Audi is one of the most prestigious cars here in China and still the preferred car brand for many company bosses and government officials. Volkswagen is HUGE in China and Mercedes not doing so bad itself.
In general Germans and German products have a much better image that Americans and American products in China, this goes ESPECIALLY for cars.
That being said, there is a clear influx of American cars to be observed, but still nothing comparable to the Audi, VW and Mercedes.
I read another article where it indicated that prestige cars in China are American made too. Practically anything made not in China are prestigious in China. Cars, electionics, clothes, education, food...... Everything.
Were the articles from USA?