Cathay Pacific imposes restriction on couple due to heated dispute over reclining seat positions.
This event took place during a flight from Hong Kong to London on September 17, as reported in a video shared on Xiaohongshu, China's equivalent to Instagram, by a woman from mainland China.
"The woman behind me kept nagging for me to move my seat forward since it obstructed her husband's view of the TV. I politely declined and she started pushing her feet onto my armrest, nudging and cursing at me non-stop," she narrated.
A flight attendant tried to mediate by suggesting she adjust her seat, but she refused, leading to the situation escalating further.
"When she realized I wasn't fluent in Cantonese, she started hurling out disrespectful comments, referring to me as a 'Mainland girl' and using other derogatory terms," she said.
People from Hong Kong primarily communicate in Cantonese, while mainland Chinese primarily use Mandarin.
"When I started recording, her husband behind me even shoved his hand on my armrest and shook it violently. I felt my personal space was severely invaded," she added, mentioning that other passengers later intervened.
In the uploaded footage, a female voice can be heard saying in Mandarin: "You're old enough, why are you harassing a young girl?"
Moreover, other passengers can be heard shouting in Cantonese: "You're disgracing Hong Kongers!" and "Stop pretending to be from Hong Kong!"
"After some passengers spoke up for me, the flight attendant eventually allowed me to switch seats. It seemed absurd—what if no one had backed me up? I would've had to endure it on my own," she said.
"As a major airline, Cathay Pacific should be equipped to handle such conflicts. Any form of unfair treatment toward passengers should not go unpunished," she asserted.
In a statement, Cathay Pacific expressed their sincere apologies for the distressing experience and said they have a zero-tolerance policy against any actions that violate aviation safety regulations or infringe upon passengers' rights.
They denied future travel privileges to the two individuals involved in the incident.
This situation has fueled ongoing debates concerning seat reclining etiquette on planes, while also highlighting tensions between individuals from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kongers, stemming from differing political views and cultural identities, and exacerbated by the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
In a subsequent video, she mentioned that she believed the incident was an isolated case, a personal matter that didn't warrant excess attention.
"Despite the incident, many Hong Kongers supported me online. There are still numerous kind people in this world," she concluded.
However, Cathay Pacific has faced criticism from Chinese authorities in the past for its employees' participation in the 2019 protests, resulting in backlash. In May 2023, the airline terminated the services of three cabin crew members after a passenger from mainland China claimed discrimination.
In a statement, Cathay Pacific CEO Ronald Lam vowed to lead an initiative focused on improving services and avoiding similar incidents in the future, emphasizing the need for respect towards passengers from various cultural backgrounds.
The woman's travel experience was marred by a series of disrespectful comments and physical actions from a fellow passenger, leading to a confrontation during the flight.
Additionally, the incident sparked conversations about seat reclining etiquette and highlighted tensions between individuals from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kongers.
Read also:
- Fear of escalation in the Middle East: US Secretary of State Blinken travels to the region again
- Government circles: US Secretary of State Blinken to travel to Middle East again
- Bridging days 2024: How you can double your vacation this year
- Germany has wanderlust: how tour operators and airlines are looking ahead to the next travel year
