Shenzhen Airlines vowed Monday afternoon to bring to justice the Internet user who had spread rumors that the airline's air hostesses were selling their panties online.

Officials with the airline said they had reported the case to police.

After investigating the case, the company found that someone had stolen the QQ password of an air hostess surnamed Chen and was attempting to sell used panties purportedly belonging to Chen.

"We'll definitely bring to justice the person who stole the QQ number, publicized the false information, infringed upon Chen's portrait right and damaged Shenzhen Airlines' reputation," said the company in an announcement Monday afternoon.

However, the company refused to allow media to interview Chen, saying Chen was under great stress.

Half-naked pictures of "air hostesses in Shenzhen" appeared on the Web site www.mop.com Nov. 16. In a posting under the pictures, an Internet user with the nickname Yulejibenkaoshou wrote: "I thought being an air hostess was the most perfect profession in the world. Air hostesses are tall, lanky and beautiful and therefore appealing to the eyes. However, what I saw online today was so impudent and outrageous."

The netizen also uploaded screenshots from www.taobao.com showing air hostesses of Shenzhen Airlines selling their panties, stockings and shoes online.

The screenshots showed a Taobao online store apparently set up by an air hostess with Shenzhen Airlines which was selling panties and stockings worn by her. Each pair of panties was priced at 30 yuan while the cheapest pair of stockings cost five yuan. The items were available in different colors.

Pictures of the woman, who was not identified, posing in her Shenzhen Airlines uniform were uploaded from her personal QQ space.