Recently, a netizen in Chongqing posted on social media that she found the seat she was sitting in on a West Air flight to be in a terrible condition, with the storage basket in front falling apart and even the area around the window patched up with tape.
The netizen also mentioned that she had never seen such a comical airplane. If she had not sat down, she would have realized that even the entire seat was broken.
This post sparked discussions online, with some netizens joking, “It’s like a green train in the sky.” “New three years, old three years, patching and mending for another three years.” “Truly a budget airline.” “Will the door of the plane fall off halfway through the flight?” “I’ve also flown with West Air, looks like it hasn’t been smooth sailing in recent years.”
However, some netizens pointed out, “It’s already a budget airline, as long as safety is not compromised, they don’t mind your poverty, so you shouldn’t mind the broken airplane.”
In response to this, related staff from West Air told Cover News that the photos taken by netizens were indeed from their company’s flight. “The reason why tape was used is because the window panel was loose.” “Applying tape on the airplane is a standard operation, supported by corresponding regulations (flight regulations), and complies with safety standards.”
“The frame is an exterior part and does not affect safety. The damaged window was repaired on November 1st.” The staff member also mentioned that the damaged storage basket would definitely be replaced.