A traveler took to social media on September 2 to report that after their flight arrived at Dunhuang Mogao International Airport, they found the domestic arrivals exit doors completely locked. The passenger expressed frustration, noting that the plane had touched down but the airport appeared to have closed for the day, leaving them unable to leave and without air conditioning in the terminal.

The video posted online quickly drew attention, with the airport's official account issuing a response in the comments section. In the apology, the airport acknowledged the incident was caused by its own operational failures, citing that staff and management did not properly execute their responsibilities. They confirmed an investigation was underway and that those accountable would face consequences according to regulations.

As part of the corrective actions, Dunhuang Mogao International Airport stated it would immediately launch an internal overhaul. This includes refining service protocols and strengthening oversight to ensure such an inconvenience does not happen again. The passenger had not yet responded to requests for further comment at the time of reporting.