On September 28th, a scene of a flight attendant kneeling and apologizing occurred on a flight of China Eastern Airlines. Witnesses stated that a flight attendant accidentally bumped into a male passenger’s elbow while pushing a food trolley. Despite apologizing, the passenger continued to yell, leading the flight attendant to kneel multiple times to apologize, sparking widespread attention on the internet.
Late on September 28th, a netizen posted a video claiming that on a China Eastern Airlines flight from Hefei to Dalian, a crew member inadvertently brushed against the elbow of a sleeping male passenger while pushing the food trolley. Even after apologizing on the spot, the passenger remained agitated, shouting in the cabin and even threatening physical violence by saying, “either let me kick you.” The flight attendant shed tears and knelt down two to three times, and after security personnel intervened, the passenger demanded that the flight attendant accompany him to the hospital upon landing. Witnesses reported that the man did not bleed, and the chief flight attendant applied an ice pack, indicating that the injury was likely not severe.
On September 29th, Mr. Zhang, a passenger who captured the aforementioned video, told reporters from “Extreme News” that around 9 p.m. on the 28th, he was on the flight from Hefei to Dalian and witnessed the incident, noting that the flight attendant knelt down several times for a considerable duration, although he did not record the entire incident on video.
“The food trolley was not moving fast, and the man who was bumped did not bleed. The chief flight attendant applied an ice pack, so it should not be serious,” Mr. Zhang said, adding that later the man requested to be escorted off the plane for a medical check-up.
Following the incident, it quickly garnered widespread attention online, with China Eastern Airlines yet to provide a detailed explanation of the events. On September 30th, several topics related to this incident trended on Weibo.
In the afternoon of the 30th, “The Paper” pointed out that the basic facts of the incident have remained in a state of “unconfirmed.” The spread and lag of such information do not match. Although the veracity of the matter is unclear, its impact on the internet is undeniable. Many netizens have since discussed and expressed their opinions on issues related to workplace dignity, employee rights, corporate culture, and the boundaries of flight services concerning the flight attendant and airline involved, while also raising issues about flight order, personal quality, and the suspicion of provoking disturbances about the passenger in question.
The report advocates for a faster resolution of relevant investigations. If the matter has been partially confirmed or refuted, it should be made public for the public to judge based on facts. Meanwhile, the investigation should continue to clarify responsibilities.
Later, China Eastern Airlines responded on Weibo, acknowledging the circulating videos regarding an in-flight service incident on the Hefei to Dalian flight on September 28th. After verification, it was confirmed that while the crew member was pushing the food trolley to provide beverage services, she reminded passengers throughout the process to be cautious. As one passenger was sleeping at the time, the food trolley accidentally touched his elbow. The flight attendant promptly apologized multiple times and checked the passenger’s condition.
China Eastern Airlines stated that the passenger was emotionally agitated, using vulgar and extreme language and making threats such as kicking the flight attendant and demanding that the involved crew member accompany him for a medical check-up upon landing, causing distress to the flight attendant. In order to maintain flight safety and cabin order, the chief flight attendant and security personnel intervened.
Upon landing, medical personnel boarded to inspect the passenger and confirmed that he had no visible injuries or swelling requiring further treatment. The passenger later refused to be escorted to the hospital by ground staff and left on his own accord.