Flight Attendant Kneeled to Apologize... China Eastern Airlines Bans Passenger Who Continued to Complain

Continued Protests Despite Repeated Apologies from Crew

"Accused of Violating Staff’s Dignity and Work Rights"

In connection with the incident where a passenger verbally abused and threatened a flight attendant after his elbow was bumped by a cart, China Eastern Airlines has reported the passenger to the police and restricted his access to the airline’s flights.

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On October 5, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) and other sources, China Eastern Airlines issued a statement saying, "We have completed the collection of evidence, confirmation of the facts, and legal review regarding the recent so-called 'flight attendant knee apology' incident that occurred onboard."

The incident took place on September 28 on a China Eastern Airlines passenger flight traveling from Hefei in Anhui Province to Dalian in Liaoning Province. At the time, a flight attendant accidentally touched a sleeping male passenger’s elbow while pushing a cart to serve drinks.

China Eastern Airlines Aircraft

According to Passenger A, who recorded the situation, the flight attendant immediately apologized, but the passenger did not accept it. Ultimately, the flight attendant apologized while kneeling two to three times. "The flight attendant kneeled two or three times, and it lasted for a considerable amount of time," A explained.

According to A, the cart was not moving quickly, and the passenger did not suffer any bleeding or injury. The cabin chief brought an ice pack to attend to the passenger’s elbow. Afterwards, the passenger reportedly demanded to be allowed to visit a hospital after deplaning.

Online, additional claims surfaced that the passenger yelled and swore out loud after his elbow was bumped by the cart. Despite the flight attendant kneeling to apologize and the cabin chief’s efforts to mediate, the passenger’s complaints continued until a cabin safety officer intervened and finally calmed the situation. After the plane landed, medical staff checked the passenger but found no trauma or swelling. It was later reported that the passenger refused to go to the hospital and left the airport on his own.

Subsequently, China Eastern Airlines issued another statement saying, "We are re-examining the entire process of the incident and securing evidence together with the parties involved," adding, "We will strictly uphold the safety threshold of aviation and protect the occupational dignity of our staff in accordance with laws and regulations."

China Eastern Airlines stated, "We determined that the passenger's actions disrupted order in the aircraft and seriously violated our staff's personal dignity and rights to work, so we reported the case to the authorities." The airline further added, "In accordance with our regulations, we have suspended transport services for the passenger, and we are providing psychological counseling and legal support for the flight attendants involved in the incident."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.