Fourteen China Eastern flights turned back after their departures from Kunming last Monday. Chinese media have been extensively reporting the incident and making conjectures as to the reasons behind the situation.

One article from Qilu Evening News believes China Eastern is lying in its initial apology, claiming weather is the reason of the incident. The article points out weatherman has confirmed that there was no inclement weather that could have affected flights that day. Under air transportation laws, airlines are not liable for delays caused by adverse weather conditions. The newspaper surmises that the apology was made to avoid paying a large sum in compensation. It's by no means a sincere apology.

The incident is widely believed to be a silent protest by the pilots. The People's Daily accuses China Eastern of dismissing their pilots' requests, which led to the incident. In turn, the pilots are condemned as unprofessional and unethical for sacrificing the public good for their own, even though they are unfairly restricted by the airline management board.

A commentary in the Oriental Morning Post concludes that the collective sick leaves taken by pilots for other airlines last month shows that the relationships between Chinese airlines and their pilots are unstable at the moment. Due to shortage of pilots and unhealthy competition in the industry, some airlines have burdened their pilots with extra flights, while others are offering astronomical salaries in desperate efforts to hire more pilots. Oriental Morning Post suggests adjusting pilot training methods and restructuring the airline industry to create a better business environment.

China Business News carrying an opinion comments that the delays have great influence onto the publics. So it is necessary for a reputable authority to investigate and later state the truth formally in public. To re-gain the passengers' confidences, the airline company has to strive to meet the public expectation on them.