Cabin crew with a Chinese airline are being forced into overhead lockers in a bizarre 'industry ritual'

The pictures spark anger after being circulated on Chinese social media

A cabin crew member apparently in an overhead locker (WeChat)

Cabin crew members being are forced into overhead lockers on passenger planes in a bizarre “ritual”, according to Chinese social media.

Images of female flight attendants lying in the lockers appeared on WeChat, a Chinese social media app, according to a report by the BBC.

The post said cabin crew were "forced into lockers by security staff upon completing 30 to 50 hours of service" as part of an "industry ritual".

Southwest China-based Kumming Airlines issued a statement saying it was investigating the matter.

The airline said it had never received complaints from its cabin crew, adding: "The company attaches high importance to this incident and will prevent such things from happening again.”

The original post featuring the images quickly went viral on Chinese social media, angering Chinese internet users, known as 'netizens', who said the ritual amounted to bullying.

"Air stewardesses have it hard enough with difficult passengers and irregular flight schedules. Imagine having to deal with additional trouble from colleagues who should clearly know better," said one Weibo user, according to the BBC report.

And Chinese state broadcaster, CCTV News, said the photos had been posted after growing unrest about the rituals among staff.

"Multiple stewardesses have also consistently filed complaints to the company but their requests were ignored and the ritual continued," it said in a post on its official Facebook page, according to the BBC.

Workplace initiations – sometimes called ‘hazing’ - are quite common and can range from the friendly and relaxed to the downright weird and dangerous.

One trader in the City of London told The Guardian of having to run through the office while his colleagues threw water at him after completing his first trade.

And new workers at a Massachusetts’s moving company are expected to run up and down more than 1,000 steps at Harvard stadium to prove their mettle, according to Inc Magazine.

Other reports of hazing range include an employer having to tell an embarrassing story about themself to the whole office, while another was welcomed to work on a Friday with banners, balloons and welcome cards.