A recent incident at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, involved a group of frustrated passengers chanting “Go back to China,” which left many international travelers puzzled. What initially appeared to be a racially charged protest against Chinese nationals turned out to be something quite different. The passengers chanting were, in fact, Chinese, venting their frustration over severe flight delays.
According to eyewitnesses, the commotion began when a flight to Beijing, originally scheduled for departure on October 6 at 2 a.m., was repeatedly delayed. What was first communicated as a two-hour delay stretched out much longer, and at one point, check-in staff abandoned their posts, leading to nearly ten hours of delay by 12:30 p.m. that day. With passengers still unable to board, tensions grew among those stuck at the airport.
As the hours dragged on, with some people reportedly stranded for almost 24 hours, frustration boiled over into spontaneous protests. One passenger started chanting, and the phrase quickly spread through the crowd, resonating with others in the same situation.
The incident has sparked online discussions, with many expressing embarrassment over how the situation unfolded, fearing that it may leave a negative impression. Social media comments revealed a mixture of frustration and humor about the unusual protest.
