An airline was forced to remove its smelly cargo of durian fruit after passengers complained.
The so-called ‘king of fruits’ is a relatively expensive delicacy across Southeast Asia but is banned as a carry-on item on most public transport because of its highly pungent smell, which has been described as having the ‘aroma of an open sewer’.
After boarding a flight to Jakarta, Sriwijaya Air passengers complained on masse to cabin crew and refused to take their seats.
The stand-off became so heated it almost ended in physical blows, according to a journalist from news agency Antara who was on the flight.
The airline was forced to remove the smelly cargo and the jet took off an hour late.
"It’s not illegal to carry durian in a flight as long as it is wrapped properly in accordance with flight regulations — carried inside the hold," the airline said.
Passengers caught with durians on transport such as public buses and Singapore’s MRT underground system face big fines.
