A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server) Hong Kong airline apologises for forcing passenger to take pregnancy test, Global : Today Indya

Latest News

  • Home
  • Global
  • Hong Kong airline apologises for forcing passenger to take pregnancy test
Hong Kong airline apologises for forcing passenger to take pregnancy test
Tuesday, January 21, 2020 IST
Hong Kong airline apologises for forcing passenger to take pregnancy test

HONG KONG: A Hong Kong airline forced a Japanese woman to take a pregnancy test before allowing her on a flight to a Pacific island popular with mothers seeking US citizenship for their babies.

 
 

Midori Nishida, 25, was escorted to a public toilet at Hong Kong airport and told to urinate on a strip in November before being granted permission to board her Hong Kong Express flight to the US territory of Saipan.
 
She had declared in a questionnaire at check-in that she was not pregnant but airline staff nevertheless requested she undergo a "fit-to-fly" assessment designed for women with a body size or shape resembling a pregnant woman.
 
The test result came up negative.
 
"It was very humiliating and frustrating," Nishida told the Wall Street Journal.
 
She grew up on Saipan and her family have lived on the island for more than 20 years.
 
The airline apologised to Nishida and said the practice had been discontinued when contacted by AFP.
 
"We have immediately suspended the practice while we review it. We'd like to apologise for the distress caused," the airline said in a statement.
 
Hong Kong Express said it had taken "action on flights to Saipan from February 2019 to help ensure US immigration laws were not being undermined", in response to concerns raised by the island's authorities.
 
"We recognise the significant concerns this practice has caused," it said.
 
Saipan is a popular destination for women wanting to give birth on US soil to secure American citizenship for their child.
 
In 2018 nearly 600 babies were born to tourists in the Northern Mariana Islands, which sit just north of Guam, also a US territory -- a figure greater than the number of babies born to locals.
 
According to data from local health authorities, 575 Chinese visitors gave birth there that year.
 
The influx followed the introduction in 2009 of a visa-waiver programme to attract Chinese holidaymakers, a scheme that made the islands the only US territory where Chinese citizens enjoy visa-free entry.
 
But in recent years Saipan has stepped up measures to curb birth tourism by requiring airlines to carry out screenings.

 
 
 
 
 

Related Topics

 
 
 

Trending News & Articles

 Article
'Worse than prison': A rare look inside China's detention camps to 'brainwash' Muslims

ALMATY: Hour upon hour, day upon day, Omir Bekali and other detainees in far western China's new indoctrination camps had to disavow the...

Recently posted . 211K views . 1 min read
 

 Article
What The Shape Of Your Belly Button Says About Your Health

If you have payed attention to the belly buttons of people on the beach or the members of your family, you have probably noticed that they have different shapes and...

Recently posted . 10K views . 2 min read
 

 Article
New ‘Langya’ virus hits China as 35 people found infected: How deadly is it?

The Langya henipavirus has a place with a similar group of infections, including Nipah, which is known to kill up to 3/4 of people in extreme cases.

Recently posted . 5K views . 1 min read
 

 Article
Queen Elizabeth Dies At 96: The New Royal Line Of Succession

Queen's death: The eldest of her four children, Charles, Prince of Wales, who at 73 was the oldest heir apparent in British history, became king immediately...

Recently posted . 5K views . 1 min read
 

 
 

More in Global

 Article
Human Sperm Retains Viability in Outer Space Conditions

The sperms in space had 100 per cent concordance in DNA fragmentation rate and vitality. It that it must not be unreasonable to think about the possibility of repro...

Recently posted. 829 views . 1 min read
 

 Article
Sexual Harassment In The Sky: Hong Kong Flight Attendants Fight Back

While they say carriers have made some steps in the right direction, they argue airlines still lag far behind in the #MeToo era.

Recently posted. 819 views . 0 min read
 

 Article
Apple CEO Tim Cook shares ‘Holi’ pictures from Nandgaon, Vrindavan and Bengaluru

NEW DELHI: Holi, also known as the ‘festival of colours’ is not just limited to India but has gained enough popularity in the US and ...

Recently posted. 826 views . 3 min read
 

 Video
5 Top Kitchen Tips



Recently posted . 1K views
 

 Photo
The Best Hobbies For Men



Recently posted . 2K views
 

 Reviews
The Best 5 Hiking Backpacks in India – Reviews & Buying Guide



Recently posted . 3K views . 140 min read
 

 Reviews
The Best 5 Camping Tents in India 2018 – Reviews & Buying Guide



Recently posted . 3K views . 99 min read
 

 Article
Trump’s immigration orders hit with new legal challenges as two cities sue US govt

Lawful difficulties to President Donald Trump's first moves to confine the stream of individuals into the United States spread on Tuesday as Massachusetts and...

Recently posted. 967 views . 38 min read
 

 Article
Elon Musk’s Neuralink Unveils Brain-Reading Threads, Seeks Human Trials in 2020

The Neuralink technology has a module that sits outside the head and wirelessly receives information from "threads" embedded in the brain.

Recently posted. 859 views . 1 min read
 

 
 
 

   Prashnavali

  Thought of the Day

If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got.
Anonymous

Be the first one to comment on this story

Close
Post Comment
Shibu Chandran
2 hours ago

Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

November 28, 2016 05:00 IST
Shibu Chandran
2 hours ago

Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

November 28, 2016 05:00 IST
Shibu Chandran
2 hours ago

Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

November 28, 2016 05:00 IST
Shibu Chandran
2 hours ago

Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

November 28, 2016 05:00 IST


ads
Back To Top