Grounded without grounds

Airline sparks debate after autistic boy stopped boarding flight Beijingers order takeout, buy air purifiers and fly to Hainan to escape smog

As moderate smog will remain in some parts of Beijing over the weekend, an investigation by a local newspaper has uncovered some of the ways that the capital’s residents deal with living in the “city of smog.”

The National Meteorological Center issued a yellow alert for air pollution earlier Saturday as some areas in North China are likely to see yet another day of smog.

According to staff members from retail firm Suning, sales of air purifiers during the recent smoggy days increased in Beijing by 350 percent compared to the same period last year, the Beijing Evening News reported Sunday.

In addition, anti- pollution masks and air purifiers are on the must- buy lists recommend- ed by many professional retail purchasers for the upcoming Black Friday shopping spree on November 25.

Food delivery services are popular with many Beijing residents during smoggy days, with many even canceling their dining plans over the past weekend, said the report.

The total number of online food delivery orders in Beijing on Friday saw a 21 percent increase compared to an average Friday, while dishes including pear and agaric, which are believed by some to help cleanse one’s lungs, were 20 percent more popular than usual.

Some Beijingers simply choose to travel elsewhere to get away from the smog and the cold. According to a staff member from e- tourism giant Ctrip, flights from Beijing to Sanya in South China’s Hainan Province and Xiamen in East China’s Fujian Province have been very popular since November began.