An incident on a Juneyao Airlines flight from Guiyang to Shanghai has sparked widespread outrage in China after two women locked a crying child in the plane’s toilet, claiming they were trying to “educate” her. The event has ignited a fierce debate on social media, with many accusing the women of child abuse.
The incident occurred when a young girl, who was traveling with her grandmother, began crying during the flight. In an attempt to address the situation, two women passengers took the child to the airplane’s toilet and locked her inside, stating they were trying to help others on the flight. One of the women, identified as Gou Tingting, even recorded a video of the event, which she later posted online.
In the video, Ms. Gou is seen carrying the girl into the toilet, while the other woman tells the child that she can only leave once she stops crying. The video quickly went viral on Chinese social media, leading to widespread condemnation. Many users criticized the women for their lack of empathy and accused them of bullying the child.
In defense of their actions, Ms. Gou explained on Douyin, a popular Chinese social media platform, that she “prefers to take action rather than be a bystander.” She stated that her intention was to calm the child so that other passengers could rest, noting that some passengers had moved to the back of the plane to escape the noise, while others resorted to stuffing tissue paper into their ears. Despite her explanation, the backlash continued, leading Ms. Gou to set her social media account to private.
Juneyao Airlines responded to the incident by clarifying that the girl’s grandmother had agreed to let the two women take the child to the toilet. The airline also mentioned that they had spoken to the child’s mother, who was not on the flight, and she reportedly expressed understanding of the women’s actions.
Despite this, public opinion remains divided. Many continue to criticize the women for their actions, arguing that young children cannot control their emotions and that crying is a natural behavior for toddlers. One social media user remarked, “Children cannot control their emotions when they are one or two years old. What’s wrong with crying? Didn’t you cry when you were young too?”
On the other hand, some defended the women’s actions, citing the grandmother’s consent as justification. “To be honest, some children cannot do without some education,” one user commented, supporting the idea that discipline might be necessary in certain situations.
The incident has sparked a broader conversation about how public spaces can better accommodate young children, as well as the responsibilities of adults in such situations. As the debate continues, the actions of the two women on that flight have become a focal point in discussions about parenting, empathy, and public behavior.
Sources By Agencies
