Controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2026
Spring Airlines Criticized by Consumer Association for Overbooking and Unreachable Customer Service, Apologizes
In July 2026, Spring Airlines faced a large number of complaints because overbooking left passengers unable to board, customer service was unreachable for long periods, and shuttle bus air conditioning failed; it was summoned and criticized by a consumer association. Spring Airlines publicly apologized and went to the consumer association to explain the situation. In May of the same year, the CAAC East China Regional Administration imposed a warning administrative penalty on it (East China Bureau Penalty Decision Shanghai Word [2026] No. 3). Media commentary said it had 'profits up, reputation down' and had fallen into a trust crisis.
2024
The '2-Centimeter' Baggage Over-Size Fee Controversy
In August 2024, a passenger said that their baggage was only about 2 centimeters over Spring Airlines' free baggage size and was required to pay for checked baggage, triggering concentrated criticism from netizens of low-cost airlines' 'baggage assassins'. The incident sparked discussion about the transparency of ancillary charges by low-cost carriers.
2012
Controversy over Placing Claiming Passengers on a 'Blacklist'
In 2012, Spring Airlines placed some passengers who claimed compensation for flight delays or refused to board on a 'temporarily unable to serve' list, which public opinion called a 'blacklist', triggering controversy over whether consumer rights were violated. Civil aviation authorities said it was an enterprise's autonomous management act.