A netizen working at a foreign-invested company in Shanghai recently posted online that a French male colleague, on a business trip to Shanghai, successfully took a portable air conditioner back to Europe using his free checked baggage allowance, spending only RMB 1,412 in total – sparking lively discussion among netizens.
According to Chinese media reports, the colleague's 93-year-old mother in Paris had been suffering from the recent European heatwave. She could only use a cooling fan that required ice cubes, but its cooling effect was limited and it increased indoor humidity, which was uncomfortable for the elderly. Given that air conditioners are expensive and in short supply in France, the colleague's co-workers suggested that he simply bring one back from China.
The colleague purchased a portable air conditioner from the Chinese brand Midea, priced at 1,260 yuan, and spent an additional 22 yuan on a high-power plug adapter compatible with European sockets. Since the air conditioner contains no lithium batteries and no flammable or explosive materials, it passed the airline's checked baggage regulations without issue.
According to the report, the French man was traveling in business class, which gave him a generous free baggage allowance. As a result, apart from paying 130 yuan for airport packaging, he incurred no extra shipping costs. He has now brought the unit to Barcelona, Spain, and will later take it on to France.
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