Bird flies 1,700 km on Air China flight to Chengdu

A live bird made a 1,700-kilometer trip across China by flying coach on an Air China flight on Monday, media reported.

Flight crew discovered the small bird flittering about the cabin during the 2-hour flight to Chengdu, Sichuan province from Qingdao, Shandong province.

A passenger posted photos on Sina Weibo of the bird perching contently on the cabin's luggage rack.

While an Air China employee said it is still unclear how the bird got on the plane, aviation experts explain the bird most likely entered the plane before takeoff in Qingdao. It is unlikely the bird was taken on board by a passenger, experts said. Shen You, an ornithologist in Chengdu, identified the bird as a common tit.