A FLIGHT FROM SHANGHAI TO GUANGZHOU was delayed for five hours on Tuesday because an 80-year-old passenger threw a handful of coins at one of the engines for "good luck" as she was ascending the steps to board the plane, afterwards one coin was found in the engine. Beijing News commented on Wednesday:

In hindsight the elderly woman's attempt to "bestow luck upon the passengers" could have done anything but that, had it not been for another passenger who noticed what she had done and reported it to the cabin crew.

It is only natural that the woman was detained and questioned by the police. Had the other passenger not noticed the old woman's action and reported it, what could have happened to the Shanghai-Guangzhou flight doesn't bear thinking about.

The incident at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai may not dissuade the superstitious from throwing coins at anything they see fit, because their quirky behavior does not usually pose a threat to anyone, as such "good-luck" coins are usually thrown into ponds at tourist attractions and only disturb the fish. However, such gestures, which some say have to be made in exchange for good fortune, are more than questionable.

Although the old lady did not mean to damage the plane, she put the lives of all passengers on board at risk, including her family and herself. And she will have to pay the price for violating the aviation security rules. The extra cost of opening engine covers and conducting security inspections could also be imposed on her.

People must be made aware that honoring traditions must not cross the bottom line of safety and break any laws and regulations.