Superstitious Woman Throws Coins Into Airplane's Engine For Good Luck

She just wanted to ensure an uneventful journey.

But an airplane passenger’s superstitious actions ended up grounding a China Southern Airlines flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport for several hours on Tuesday.

That was after the woman, identified by her surname Qiu, threw a handful of coins into an Airbus 320’s engine to “wish a safe flight,” according to police.

Fellow travelers said they saw Qiu, who is believed to be in her 80s, toss the change from halfway up the boarding staircase.

Crew members ordered passengers who had already boarded off the aircraft so that engineers could inspect the engine. They found one coin inside the engine and eight on the ground nearby, the South China Morning Post reports.

The flight to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport eventually departed some five hours later than scheduled.

Police had reportedly detained Qiu, who was traveling with family members.