Flight Delayed After Woman Tosses Coins in Engine for Luck

An elderly woman delayed a flight for over four hours in China after chucking coins into the plane’s jet engine.

The reason: She chucked them in “for good luck.”

While boarding a China Southern Airlines flight at Shanghai's Pudong Airport set to leave at 12:40 p.m. on Tuesday, the 80-year-old woman threw nine coins into the turbine as part of a blessing.

Airline staff was notified about the incident, which forced already boarded passengers to evacuate the plane.

The flight eventually departed four hours later, after the engine was thoroughly examined and deemed safe.

According to Shanghai Daily, one of the nine coins thrown found its way inside the engine. The total value of the coins was 20 cents US.

The senior was taken away by police after the incident. They say she had no mental health issues or prior criminal history and that the coin tossing was strictly done for religious reasons.

There is no word yet on whether China Southern Airlines will take further legal action against the woman.