Passengers accuse airline of using air conditioner as cold as refrigerator to sell blankets

(Dan Tri) - A passenger on a flight of the low-cost airline Spring Airlines (China) said that the temperature in the cabin was too low, forcing many people to buy extra blankets to keep warm.

Passenger accuses airline of deliberately lowering temperature to sell blankets

In recent days, Chinese public opinion has been stirred up by the case of a low-cost airline in this country being accused by passengers of deliberately setting the air conditioning temperature to a low level in order to sell more blankets on commercial flights.

Specifically, on August 24, Chinese social network Xiaohongshu posted an article reflecting some passengers saying that the temperature on Spring Airlines flights was adjusted to be "as cold as a refrigerator", causing discomfort.

Passengers accuse airline of leaving air conditioning as cold as a refrigerator to sell blankets ( Video source: The Paper).

Some even suggested that the airline intentionally lowered the temperature to force passengers to buy blankets. The video posted by the passenger showed a "foggy" smell inside the cabin, further raising suspicions.

The incident quickly became a hot topic on social media in the country, receiving much discussion. Many people said they had encountered similar situations and questioned whether or not Spring Airlines intentionally let the temperature drop to increase sales of blankets on flights.

Airlines speak out

On its official website, on August 25, Spring Airlines spoke out about the incident.

The company representative explained that the white fog in the video is actually a completely normal phenomenon of condensation when the humid air in the cabin in the summer meets the cold, dry air from the air conditioner.

This phenomenon usually appears only shortly after take-off and quickly disappears.

Many customers complained that the temperature on Spring Airlines flights was too cold (Photo: News).

Spring Airlines said it strictly adheres to cabin temperature regulations to ensure passengers feel comfortable throughout the flight. “The temperature adjustment is entirely based on technical standards and safety regulations, and there is no such thing as intentionally lowering the temperature to sell by-products such as blankets,” a representative of the airline affirmed.

However, many passengers are still skeptical. Some say that temperature perception is subjective. The fact that the airline does not provide free blankets to passengers raises many questions.

It is known that the price of a blanket on the airline's commercial flights is 15 yuan (nearly 60,000 VND).

Although the airline has explained, this has not satisfied customers. The incident has caused the airline to receive many negative reviews. Previously, there were reviews related to the lack of transparency in baggage fees, and complicated refund and ticket exchange procedures.

Spring Airlines is a low-cost airline based in China and is currently the country's most profitable airline.

Unlike traditional airlines, Spring Airlines applies a policy of separating ancillary services such as baggage, meals, and blankets from the basic ticket price, allowing passengers to choose and pay if needed.

This business model helps the airline control costs effectively, thanks to factors such as using a single type of aircraft, increasing flight frequencies, maintaining high seat occupancy rates and cutting out complimentary services.

With low-cost airlines, passengers have to accept cuts in some services (Photo: News).

In fact, the low-cost airline model always comes with controversy. Spring Airlines is no exception. Factors such as non-reclining seats, strict baggage limits, in-flight sales... are often reported by passengers on social networks. However, the low price is the reason why many people accept "disadvantages" in some factors.

Not only in China, other low-cost airlines such as Ryanair (Europe) or AirAsia (Southeast Asia) have also faced controversy due to their policy of charging for each service. However, these models still thrive by serving passengers with limited travel needs.

In terms of business results, in 2024, Spring Airlines achieved total revenue of 20 billion yuan, an increase of 11.5% over the previous year.

Compared to China’s three major state-owned airlines, Air China, China Southern and China Eastern, Spring Airlines is still profitable. While these “giants” all recorded losses in the first quarter of this year.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/hanh-khach-to-hang-hang-khong-de-dieu-hoa-lanh-nhu-tu-lanh-de-ban-chan-20250901170251887.htm