As rainstorms persist in causing delays at major airports nationwide, a photo of what appears to be two Xiamen Airlines stewardesses knelt in prayer at a shrine dedicated to being "on time" is making the rounds on Weibo.
The pictured makeshift shrine, draped with red cloth napkins and offerings of fruit and airline food, is set up in an airplane galley and prominently displaying the Chinese characters for "punctuality".
When contacted a spokesman for Xiamen Airlines explained the flight crew members were not in violation of any rules, the Xiamen-based West Strait Morning Post (Haixi Morning Post) reported.
The onboard "on time" shrine has been a running joke within the industry, as similar photos showing flight crews from different airlines praying for punctuality have circulated online since 2011, said the report.
Both Beijing and Shanghai airports have suffered from recent flight delays due to rainstorms, which in some cases have resulted in escalated conflicts between passengers and ground crew.
