Man Threatens to "Kick" Flight Attendant, Making Her Kneel — The Bizarre Reason Behind It

▲ China Eastern Airlines passenger plane

Controversy is spreading after it was revealed that a female flight attendant for a Chinese airline was forced to kneel and apologize after brushing against a passenger's elbow during in-flight service.

According to Hong Kong's Ming Pao and Sing Tao Daily on October 1, the incident occurred on September 28 on a China Eastern Airlines flight from Hefei to Dalian.

At the time, a flight attendant was pushing a service cart for beverage service when she accidentally brushed against the elbow of a sleeping passenger.

Although the flight attendant apologized immediately, the passenger reacted with extreme anger.

Later, footage captured by another passenger showed the flight attendant kneeling on both knees next to the cart to apologize.

The passenger who filmed the video stated that even though the flight attendant knelt and apologized two or three times, the male passenger continued to voice complaints.

As the video spread rapidly across Chinese social media, the topic rose to the top of Weibo's real-time search trends.

Amid growing controversy, China Eastern Airlines released an official statement on September 30 explaining the details of the incident.

The airline explained, "Although the flight attendant apologized immediately and checked on the passenger's condition, the passenger remained highly agitated and continued to use rough and aggressive language." They added, "The flight attendant suffered a severe shock after being threatened with being kicked and demanded to go to the hospital together after landing."

According to China Eastern Airlines, medical staff examined the passenger after the plane landed and found no obvious trauma or swelling, determining that no further medical treatment was necessary.

The airline emphasized, "We are reviewing the entire process of the incident alongside relevant parties and securing evidence," adding, "We will strictly uphold the bottom line of aviation safety and protect the professional dignity of our employees in accordance with laws and regulations."

However, the airline did not disclose the specific circumstances that led to the flight attendant kneeling or whether subsequent actions would be taken against the passenger.

(Photo: Yonhap News)

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