Air China suspended on Friday a handsome pilot for live broadcasting while on duty at the plane’s cockpit before the jet took off. The aviator is unidentified, but he uses the name 90000xiabao on Weibo.
Shanghai Daily reported that another Weibo user, Jeffwell, posted two screenshots of 9000xiabao and an Air China jet on Friday afternoon. Jeffwell said that the pilot was using his iPad to broadcast himself while preparing for takeoff.
Because of his handsome face, the pilot's screencaps posted by Jeffwell became viral on Weibo, China’s most popular microblogging site. Some women users of Weibo immediately sent him virtual gifts online, while another 6,000 fans were added to his Weibo account, reported Shanghaiist.
However, along with the fame came criticisms. A netizen asked on Weibo, “Why are passengers told to turn off their digital devices on flight, but pilots can just ignore this rule?”
Another Weibo user commented, “A pilot is cool when he is working hard, not when pretending to be cool.”
Reports said that it was not the first time that 9000xiabao had broadcast himself while on the cockpit. He had previously posted those photos on his Weibo account, but following his suspension, the pilot – said to be on his way to Rome – deleted the images from Weibo.
In a statement, Air China – notorious for serving biscuits that causes diarrhea and the poor English skills of its pilots – said that 9000xiabao is a newly hired co-pilot who was previously sanctioned for failing to focus on preparing for takeoff.
He was suspended because the amount of online criticism he got could affect him emotionally and risk the safety and security of flights.
Given his handsome face and his viral photos, the pilot could perhaps find a second career as an actor and give “Descendants of the Stars” actor Song Joong-ki some competition by starring in a South Korean drama about the lives of pilots and flight attendants.