Photo: Screenshot from Sina Weibo

The China Air Transport Association (CATA) said Monday that China Eastern Airlines had secured evidence and filed a report to the police over an incident in which a China Eastern Airlines flight attendant knelt down to apologize to a passenger. 

According to CATA, a meal cart accidentally bumped a passenger during cabin service on a China Eastern Airlines flight, prompting repeated apologies and remedial service efforts by the flight attendant and purser on duty, but the passenger continued to verbally abuse and threaten the flight attendant. Following the incident, China Eastern conducted a full review and evidence collection and provided psychological support to the flight attendant involved. The airline has since preserved the relevant evidence and formally reported the case to police. 

According to previous media reports, a social media post that went viral on September 29 alleged that a flight attendant on a flight from Hefei in East China’s Anhui Province to Dalian in Northeast China’s Liaoning Province knelt and apologized after accidentally bumping a male passenger’s elbow with a meal cart. The passenger reportedly remained dissatisfied, demanded that the attendant let him kick her back, and later asked the purser and attendant to accompany him to a hospital for a medical examination. 

Although the online post did not identify the date, flight number or airline involved, some netizens speculated that the airline was China Eastern based on the flight attendant’s uniform. Hefei Xinqiao International Airport’s website shows that China Eastern operates flights between Hefei and Dalian. 

China Eastern Airlines confirmed the incident on September 30, saying the passenger had no obvious injuries and declined an offer to be taken to hospital after landing. The airline said it provided psychological support to the flight attendant involved, who has since returned to work. 

China Eastern Airlines released a statement on October 3 again, saying that the passenger surnamed Ou on flight MU6741 was suspected of disrupting order aboard the aircraft and seriously infringing on its employee’s rights. The airline said it had reported the case to police and was cooperating with the investigation to protect its employees’ legal rights and public safety.

China Eastern Airlines said it has suspended carriage services for the passenger under its passenger management rules. The airline also said it had provided the flight attendant with psychological and legal support and thanked passengers who helped maintain order and provided evidence. 

Global Times