WHOOPS

Air China Takes Heat for Racist Article

Inflight magazine gave offensive tourist advice.

The publishers of Air China’s inflight magazine, Wings of China, have been attacked for running a travel guide in which tourists told to be careful in areas of London populated by South Asians and black people. “London is generally a safe place to travel, however precautions are needed when entering areas mainly populated by Indians, Pakistanis, and black people,” it reads. A prominent Indian-born British lawmaker, Vivendra Sharma, who represents the largely Indian area of Southall in London, has demanded an apology from China’s ambassador to Britain for what he deemed “blatantly untrue and racist statements.” The state-owned airline now says it has removed all copies of the magazine from operating flights. The airline also told the Associated Press that it agreed the language was “inappropriate.”