Flight Delayed for 5 Hours After Elderly Woman Tosses Coins Into Engine for Good Luck

Instead of "good luck," these passengers got a headache.

a plane
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Image via Kuster & Wildhaber

a plane

To ensure good luck for fellow passengers, a woman on a flight to Guangzhou decided to toss coins into the plane's engine. The incident occurred at Shanghai Pudong International Airport Tuesday and ultimately resulted in a five-hour delay, CBS Newsreported.

Another passenger noticed the elderly woman, identified only as Qiu, "behaving strangely" ahead of the China Southern Airlines flight. Specifically, Qiu was tossing a handful of coins at the aircraft's engine. Local police said one of the coins made it inside the engine, forcing authorities to remove everyone from the plane while engineers inspected for damage.

Qiu's intentions, reports claim, were religious in nature. In short, she was reportedly tossing the coins while saying a prayer for a safe trip and equally safe landing for all aboard the flight. "The passenger, surnamed Qiu, who has no prior criminal record or mental health issues, claimed she tossed coins as a prayer for a safe flight," Shanghai Police toldCNN in a statement Wednesday. Police asked Qiu some questions before ultimately letting her go without filing charges. The incident, however, is apparently still under investigation.

China Southern Airlines did not immediately respond to Complex's request for comment.

As a friendly reminder, here's an exhaustive list of what's allowed to be thrown into a plane's engine for good luck prior to a flight:

  • Nothing.

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