Airline bans couples after seat relocation drama escalates

A seemingly trivial disagreement over a reclining seat on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to London resulted in a lifetime ban for two passengers. The incident on September 17, 2024 began when a passenger from mainland China reclined her seat during the flight. The couple sitting behind her, apparently middle-aged from Hong Kong, objected to this measure.

The duo claimed the seat blocked their view of the in-flight entertainment system. What started as a simple request quickly turned into a full-blown confrontation. According to the passenger’s account, which she shared on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, the situation escalated dramatically when she politely refused to raise her seat.

“The lady sitting behind me asked me to raise my seat because it was blocking her husband’s view of the TV. I politely declined and she started putting her feet on my armrest, kicking my arm and calling me crazy names,” she shared in her viral post.

Harassment and xenophobia

The incident took an even worse turn when the couple allegedly started harassing the female passenger. She pushed her seat back and insulted them in Cantonese. The language barrier only seemed to add fuel to the fire, as the Mandarin-speaking passenger couldn’t understand her tirade.

“When she realized I couldn’t speak Cantonese, she started calling me ‘mainland girl’ derogatorily,” she said. The exchange highlighted the underlying tensions that sometimes exist between mainland Chinese and Hong Kong residents.

As the situation continued to deteriorate, other passengers on the flight began to intervene. Some spoke in Mandarin, others reprimanded the couple in Cantonese. “You are embarrassing us Hong Kongers!” and “Stop saying you are from Hong Kong,” passengers expressed their dissatisfaction.

Initially, a flight attendant suggested the passenger straighten her seat to appease the couple, a recommendation she found shocking and unfair. Only after other passengers came to her defense was she allowed to change seats.

Cathay Pacific’s swift action against the couple

Cathay Pacific took decisive action in response to the incident, which caused a stir on social media. According to CNN, the airline issued a statement on September 23rd. The statement confirmed that the couple involved in the altercation have been permanently banned from all Cathay Group flights.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy for any behavior that violates aviation safety regulations or disrespects the rights of other customers,” the airline said, emphasizing its commitment to providing a safe and pleasant experience for all passengers.