Beijing, Oct 13 (IANS): Photos showing Chinese stewardesses stuffed into an airplane's luggage compartment by security officers has sparked widespread condemnation, the media reported on Tuesday.

The photos were posted online from a personal Weibo account, China's twitter-like social networking platform, people's Daily reported.

The stewardesses were from Yunnan province-based domestic carrier, Kunming Airlines.

The post said the airline attendants were forced to be carried into the luggage rack by the security officer of the airplane. The practice, which was called a tradition by the officers, has been repeatedly conducted for four or five years.

These stewardesses were reluctant to do it but still lifted to the rack due to the concerns of being not cooperative with their colleagues.

Some photos were also posted showing the stewardesses curling up in the luggage rack with hands covering their faces. A male staff member, who was believed as one of the security officers, was also seen in a photo and even posed with a huddled stewardess.

Kunming Airline has investigated the incident and said that these inappropriate traditions happened after the crew members finished their flight missions.

"this was like a ceremony for the new attendants to join the crew team. It is prevalent among other foreign airline companies. But the company paid high attention to the incident and pledged to prevent this from happening again due to its negative effect to the image of the company," airline sources said.