China Eastern reports passenger to police, suspends carriage after crew incident
In short
China Eastern Airlines said on Oct 3 that it had reported a passenger surnamed Ou to police and suspended his carriage after a Sept 28 incident on flight MU6741 from Hefei to Dalian, in which the airline says he used vulgar and threatening language toward a flight attendant. Videos circulating online show a flight attendant kneeling in the aisle beside a drinks cart, an account the airline’s statements do not describe. The airline said it has given the crew member psychological counselling and support, and cnBeta reported its statement also cited legal aid.
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China Eastern Airlines said on Oct 3 that it had formally reported to police a passenger surnamed Ou over a Sept 28 incident on flight MU6741 from Hefei to Dalian, saying his behaviour was suspected of disrupting order on board a civil aircraft and of seriously infringing on the dignity and working rights of its staff. The airline said it had largely completed evidence preservation, fact verification and legal assessment, and that it had suspended carriage for Ou under its passenger carriage rules, while cooperating with the authorities. [ 1 , 2 ]
According to the airline’s Sept 30 statement, the incident began when a flight attendant pushing a drinks cart, who had warned passengers throughout the service, accidentally touched the elbow of a sleeping passenger. The crew member apologised repeatedly and checked on the passenger, but the airline says the passenger became agitated, used vulgar and aggressive language, threatened to kick the attendant and demanded that the attendant accompany him to hospital after landing; the attendant was frightened. The airline said the purser and a security officer intervened to maintain cabin order, and that after landing medical staff found no obvious trauma or swelling and the passenger declined to be taken to hospital and left on his own. [ 1 , 2 ]
Videos circulating online, cited by cnBeta, show a flight attendant kneeling on both knees in the aisle beside the cart. A witness wrote on social media, according to cnBeta, that the passenger kept shouting and demanded to be allowed to kick the attendant. China Eastern’s statements do not describe the kneeling. cnBeta reported that the airline’s Oct 3 statement also said it had given the crew member care, psychological counselling and legal aid, and that the crew member has returned to normal work. [ 1 , 2 ]
The Oct 3 statement drew supportive comments online, cnBeta reported. In an online poll cited by cnBeta, more than 60% of respondents chose tougher penalties for insulting or threatening crew as the most effective way to reduce such incidents, followed by passenger legal education and stronger on-site intervention by security officers at about 20% each. [ 2 ]
Lawyers cited by cnBeta said the passenger could face a warning or a fine of up to 500 yuan, or five to ten days’ detention and a fine of up to 1,000 yuan if the case is deemed serious, and could be placed on a civil aviation blacklist; the attendant could also sue for infringement of personality rights, they said. An airline insider told cnBeta that carriers generally forbid crew from arguing with passengers and that effective complaints can affect crew evaluations, promotions and schedules, and cnBeta noted a 2024 civil aviation authority opinion urging carriers to handle cabin complaints fairly. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The case has drawn wide public attention in China, and an online poll cited by cnBeta found more than 60% of respondents named tougher penalties for insulting or threatening crew as the most effective way to cut such incidents. Lawyers cited by cnBeta say the passenger could face a fine, detention or a ban from flying, making the airline’s decision to report the case a test of how cabin disputes and crew complaints are handled. An airline insider told cnBeta that crew are generally barred from arguing with passengers and can be penalised over complaints.
Key facts
- China Eastern Airlines said on Oct 3 that it had reported a passenger surnamed Ou to police over the Sept 28 incident on flight MU6741 from Hefei to Dalian. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The airline said Ou’s behaviour was suspected of disrupting order on a civil aircraft and of seriously infringing on staff dignity and working rights. [ 1 , 2 ]
- China Eastern said it had suspended carriage for Ou under its passenger carriage management rules. [ 1 , 2 ]
- According to the airline, the incident began when a drinks cart accidentally touched the elbow of a sleeping passenger, who then became agitated and used vulgar language and threats; medical staff found no obvious injury and the passenger declined further treatment. [ 1 ]
- Videos cited by cnBeta show a flight attendant kneeling in the aisle beside the cart; the airline’s statements do not describe the kneeling. [ 2 ]
- In an online poll cited by cnBeta, more than 60% of respondents backed tougher penalties for insulting or threatening crew as the most effective remedy. [ 2 ]
- Lawyers cited by cnBeta said the passenger could face a fine, detention or a civil aviation blacklist. [ 2 ]
- China Eastern said it gave the flight attendant psychological counselling and support, and the crew member has returned to normal work; cnBeta reported the Oct 3 statement also mentioned care and legal aid. [ 1 , 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- China Eastern Airlines issued a statement on Oct 3 saying it had reported a passenger surnamed Ou to police and suspended his carriage over the Sept 28 cabin incident. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The incident took place on Sept 28 on flight MU6741 from Hefei to Dalian. [ 1 , 2 ]
- China Eastern issued a first statement on the matter on Sept 30. [ 1 , 2 ]
- According to the airline, the incident began when a drinks cart touched the elbow of a sleeping passenger, and the crew member apologised repeatedly and checked on the passenger. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The airline said medical staff found no obvious trauma or swelling and the passenger declined to be taken to hospital, leaving on his own. [ 1 ]
- China Eastern said it arranged psychological counselling and support for the crew member, who returned to normal work. [ 1 ]
Still unclear
- Whether passenger Ou will be punished and with what penalty. No authority has announced a decision; the possible penalties described come from lawyers cited by cnBeta, who said the outcome depends on whether the case is deemed serious.
- The kneeling shown in the videos. The witness account and video reported by cnBeta are the only sources describing the flight attendant kneeling; China Eastern’s statements do not mention it, and cnBeta attributes the account to an unnamed witness on social media.
- Who conducted the online poll on disruptive passengers and how it was sampled. cnBeta describes it only as an online poll and gives no organiser, sample size or method.
- Whether the civil aviation authority’s 2024 opinion on cabin complaints has changed airline practice. cnBeta raises the 2024 opinion and pressure from complaints on crew, but its article text is truncated and no conclusion is given.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Cabin incident on China Eastern flight MU6741 from Hefei to Dalian; the airline says a drinks cart touched the elbow of a sleeping passenger, who became agitated, and that the purser and a security officer intervened. [ 1 , 2 ]
- China Eastern publishes its first statement on the incident on its official Weibo account, describing the crew’s handling and saying the passenger left on his own after declining treatment. [ 1 , 2 ]
- China News Service reports China Eastern’s second statement, in which the airline says it has reported the passenger to police and suspended his carriage, a statement cnBeta also reports the same day. [ 1 , 2 ]
- cnBeta publishes its report with the witness account, netizen reaction, an online poll and lawyers’ views on possible penalties. [ 2 ]