China’s flag-carrying airline, China Air, has ignited a racist row over a piece in its in-flight magazine which advises travellers to London to avoid city’s “ethnic minority” areas.

The Sun reports that the article in the latest edition of Wings of China, distributed on the busy airline states: “London is generally a safe place to travel, however precautions are needed when entering areas mainly populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people.

“We advise tourists not to go out alone at night, and females always to be accompanied by another person when travelling.”

The phrase is then repeated in both Mandarin and English in the magazine’s in-depth feature on the multi-cultural capital.

https://twitter.com/Holbornlolz/status/773587524480536576

The article was first spotted by Chinese journalist Haze Fan who then tweeted a picture of it to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, asking him what he thought.

Ms Fan wrote how her Londoner fiancé found it “rather insulting”.

British media report that Mr Khan was preparing a statement, but other British politicians have weighed in, boots and all.

One, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MP for Tooting with a large Indian and Pakistani population, told British radio it was offensive not just to ethnic minorities, but all Londoners.

“My initial thoughts were that the comments were outrageous.

“I think that it is offensive to Londoners and I would like to see it removed. I would also like to ask the airline why they thought these precautions needed to be taken.

“I think it is offensive to all Londoners, not just the ethnic minorities mentioned.”

China Air is China’s flag carrier with two flights daily between Beijing and Heathrow. It operates a total of 98 international routes.

Chinese visitors also represent a huge growth market for the UK, with the number of trips to the UK from China rising by 46 per cent last year to 270,000.

Chinese companies have a track record for racist ads, with one company producing laundry detergent earlier year coming under fire for showing an Asian woman shoving a paint-daubed black man into a washing machine for him to emerge as a clean Asian man.

The company ultimately apologised for the advert.