Hong Kong Airlines is preparing its cabin staff for any eventuality onboard its aircraft by training them in the martial art of wing chun. This, says the airline, will help boost their fitness and to help deal with drunk and unruly passengers. The carrier says it deals with an average of three disruptive passengers a week.
New cabin crew recruit Lumpy Tang, 22 said she never imagined kung fu would be part of the job. “We were surprised in the beginning, but after a few lessons we really liked wing chun,” she told the China South Morning Post. “You cannot predict what will happen on the plane, so wing chun is good because it’s so fast.”
Wing chun is viewed as the perfect martial art for in-flight use because its movements are swift and it can be practised in a confined space. Its history is based on the legend of a woman who uses the martial art to extricate herself from an un-wanted courtship.