Spending 20 yuan ($3.26) on flight-delay insurance sounds a good deal for passengers leaving from Chinese airports, which have poor punctuality records, but it is rare that anyone actually buys it.

Yang Hao is one of the few who does, and he said he recently received 1,000 yuan in compensation after claiming for a delayed flight.

"For people like me who take planes every week, flight-delay insurance is worthwhile," he said. "At least your waiting time at the airport can be compensated for."