Flight Grounded After Passenger Throws Coins Into Jet Engine for “Good Luck”

An elderly passenger hoping to earn spiritual good tidings for her flight was spotted throwing coins into the engine of a China Southern Airlines flight just prior to departure.

Nervous flyers can sometimes be a little superstitious. That’s why, to this day, there isn’t a row 13 on many commercial airline flights, but an elderly passenger hoping to create a little bit of good mojo before her China Southern Airlines flight from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) on Tuesday almost ended up causing a disaster instead.

According to the South China Morning Post, the 80-year-old passenger was spotted tossing coins from the middle of the boarding staircase towards the plane’s jet engine. A total of nine coins were discovered on the ground near the engine cowling. When maintenance workers inspected the engine itself, only a single coin was discovered. This was enough, however, to cause the passengers to be offloaded while workers made certain there were no other potentially hazardous lucky charms in flight critical areas of the aircraft.

BBC News reported that the passenger involved told police that her actions were intended to create “blessings’ as she prayed for a safe flight. Although the coins were meant to be “good luck,” airline officials said that the damage caused could have been serious, including the very real and unlucky possibility of engine failure.

The elderly passenger, traveling with family members, was described as someone who “believes in Buddhism.” The seriously superstitious passenger was questioned by police while the flight itself was reportedly delayed for more than five hours.

[Photo: Shutterstock]