The $1,000 fine on VietJet Air for hosting a bikini show on its flight last week has raised eyebrows among many who say the fine is just too light compared to the fame the carrier attracted after the scandal. However, the airliner claims it is heavy.
On August 5, private budget
carrier VietJet Air (VJA) organized a bikini show “a Hawaiian dance
performance” on its maiden flight from Ho Chi Minh City to the coastal city of
Nha Trang with the participation of five attractive girls who were contestants
of a local beauty pageant, Miss Ngoi Sao. The contest, held by VnExpress
newswire and VJA, ended on July 30.
Nguyen Trong Thang, chief
inspector of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam said VJA got the
fines since it had violated the local aviation regulations by “organizing an
unapproved show on a plane”.
The fine is quite heavy, violator complains
A representative of VJA has
promised the carrier will no longer organize such a bikini show on its flights
and will pay the fine. However, VJA still complains that the penalty is quite
heavy.
According to the carrier, since
the flight went to a coastal city, the performance was just a “bonus service”
to spread an atmosphere of vacation to VJA’s passengers and the performers were
not wearing indecent costumes. They had bikini-tops and long skirts instead,
the representative explained.
Almost all customers on the plane
that day said they were not bothered by the performance and supported the
carrier in holding similar dancing shows on future flights, the airliner added.
When asked if VJA had violated
aviation safety regulation for letting passengers use cell phones to record the
3-minute show, the carrier answered that since the phones were used in
movie-mode only, they did not affect flight safety. In addition, the plane had
already reached its safe altitude before the show occurred.
“Local aviation regulations do
not have a specific article for such an event. It’s also hard for us to ask for
approval for such a show,” the carrier said after informing that many carriers
in other countries have run in-flight dancing shows by stewardesses.
Many judge the penalty too light
Disagreeing with VJA, a number of
netizens expressed that the fine is too light compared with the scandal which
could catapult VJA to fast fame.
“There must be other penalties
besides the fine. If it’s only $1,000, the it seems to be a cheap price to get
famous,” Nguyen Van Tu stressed.
Many netizens also criticized the
show as being offensive and inappropriate to traditional Vietnamese culture and
customs.
“I don’t understand what VJA did
it for. Was it really a bonus service for customers or just a PR trick?” Tran
Chau wrote to Tuoi Tre.
Others suggested local aviation
authorities issue regulations to forbid such performances considering that
artists performing on stage with scantly costumes are also subject to fines and
bans.
Moreover, some point their
fingers to the show’s performers, contestants of Miss Ngoi Sao beauty pageant.
“That’s embarrassing. How could
they, a beauty pageant’s contestants, do this stuff? That could only make
passengers feel awkward,” a netizen stated.
This is not the first time Miss
Ngoi Sao contest has been criticized. Early this month, a photo featuring a
charity trip held by Miss Ngoi Sao was spread on the Internet and aroused fury
among many who criticized that the trip was just a trick to promote the
contest, as well as the beauties’ names.
On July 29, an article and a
series of photos featuring the trip to the southern province of Long An to hand
over gifts to local disadvantaged seniors were posted on ngoisao.net.
However, instead of praising the
beauties for their act, many netizens were angered by a picture showing the
contestants radiantly sitting at a row of chairs and tables with bottles of
water, while the elderly only sit on plastic chairs and have no water to drink.
However, there are some foreign
readers supporting the bikini show.
Kalvin commented on Tuoi Tre News
“When is the next show? Guess I will only be flying VJA from now on. Some
people just need to get over certain things and move on with the rest of the
world.”
Meanwhile, Chewbacca wrote “I
would use that airline every time if they had a show like that on board every
flight.”
The controversy should be, why
the airline was fined at all. From the pictures you've shown, the passengers
didn't seem to be offended by the bikini show. What's next? Does the agency in
charge shut down the beaches and the water parks because girls in bikinis go
against traditional Vietnamese traditions and customs? I guess wearing ao dai's
is the only acceptable clothing for Vietnamese girls.
That would certainly comply with
tradition and customs. Once again the vocal minority rules over the silent
majority.
L Minetola
TUOITRENEWS
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