Controversies

‘March 31’ mass turnback incident: route operating rights revoked

On March 31 and April 1, 2008, 21 China Eastern Airlines Yunnan branch flights to Dali, Lijiang, Xishuangbanna and other destinations returned to Kunming after reaching their destination airspace, stranding more than 1,000 passengers; the incident was believed to be related to pilots’ dissatisfaction with pay. A Civil Aviation Administration investigation determined that four flights deliberately turned back and five blindly turned back. The administration suspended China Eastern’s operating rights on the Kunming–Xishuangbanna and Kunming–Dali routes and fined it 1.5 million yuan; China Eastern grounded 13 involved pilots, expelled them from the Communist Party and took other measures, and held eight executives accountable.