Recently, Taiwanese singer Zheng Zhihua criticized the lack of humanity at Shenzhen Airport. He mentioned in a post that his wheelchair couldn’t be pushed onto the plane, so he had to crawl and struggle to board. In response to this, Shenzhen Airport has promised to make improvements.
On October 25th, Zheng Zhihua took to Weibo to express his dissatisfaction, stating, “The attitude of Shenzhen Airport towards disabled individuals is the least humane. Even at remote gates, the lift stops at the door with a 25-centimeter gap from the floor. My wheelchair couldn’t be pushed onto the plane, and I couldn’t even step into the cabin with my legs.”
He further added, “What’s even worse is that the lift operator completely disregarded my safety, refusing to raise the lift platform, and just watched me struggle and crawl onto the plane.”
He emphasized that he considers himself a person with manners but couldn’t tolerate such inhumane behavior and attitude.
Mainland Chinese disabled singer Li Chen commented in the discussion section, “I have experienced similar situations before, and I can truly empathize! The improvement and continuous attention to barrier-free facilities, service awareness, and supporting measures are necessary!”
Following the incident, Shenzhen Airport responded that Mr. Zheng took Shenzhen Airlines flight ZH9073 to Taipei on the afternoon of the 25th. Due to the saturation of resources at international and regional flight gates when the preceding flight arrived, Shenzhen Airport arranged for the flight to dock at a remote gate.
Shenzhen Airport also stated, “According to safety operational norms, there should be a 20cm height difference between the boarding vehicle and the aircraft door, causing inconvenience for wheelchair passengers entering the cabin. Eventually, with the assistance of one ground service personnel from the airline and one crew member, Mr. Zheng boarded the cabin safely through the boarding vehicle.”
Regarding the shortcomings in boarding assistance this time, Shenzhen Airport apologized deeply and pledged to collaborate with airlines to make immediate improvements to address the inconveniences faced by passengers with mobility impairments during boarding.
Public records show that Zheng Zhihua was born in Longshan District, Taipei City, and has ancestral roots in Fuzhou, Fujian. He acquired a lifelong disability due to polio in his childhood.
His representative works include “Single Escape,” “Fallen Angel,” “Sailor,” “Twinkle, Twinkle,” “The Great Citizen,” and “Crying Actor.” After getting married in 1999, he withdrew from the entertainment industry but made a comeback in 2007, becoming active in variety shows.