Chinese flight attendant knelt to apologize after brushing sleeping passenger's elbow, airline says

A Chinese flight attendant who knelt to apologize after accidentally brushing a sleeping passenger's elbow during a beverage service stirs controversy online.

According to Hong Kong's Ming Pao and Chengdu Daily, the incident occurred Monday afternoon aboard a China Eastern Airlines flight from Hefei to Dalian, Yonhap said.

The attendant was pushing a beverage cart through the cabin when she accidentally touched the elbow of a passenger who was asleep.

The passenger reacted with anger even after the attendant immediately apologized.

Video footage captured by another passenger showed the attendant kneeling beside the cart to apologize.

The passenger who filmed the incident said the attendant knelt and apologized two or three times, but the male passenger continued to express his displeasure.

The video spread widely on Chinese SNS platforms, and the incident briefly trended at the top of Weibo's real-time search rankings.

As the controversy grew, China Eastern Airlines issued an official statement Wednesday. The airline said the attendant had immediately apologized and checked on the passenger's condition, but the passenger "became emotionally agitated and continued to use harsh and aggressive language." It added that the passenger threatened to kick the attendant and demanded she accompany him to a hospital after landing, leaving her deeply shaken.

However, the airline did not explain the specific circumstances under which the attendant knelt, nor did it say whether any follow-up action had been taken against the passenger.

According to China Eastern, medical personnel examined the passenger after the plane landed and found no visible injuries or swelling, determining that no further treatment was needed.

The airline said it was "reviewing the entire sequence of events with all parties involved and gathering evidence," adding that it would "strictly uphold the bottom line of aviation safety and protect the professional dignity of its staff in accordance with laws and regulations."

Meanwhile, a separate incident involving Chinese state-owned enterprise executives and their conduct aboard an Air China flight years earlier drew public attention in April.

According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency on April 21, authorities including the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection publicly announced disciplinary findings against Ren Yu, former chairman of China Aviation Supplies Holding Company, and Zhao Baohui, its former chief accountant, on charges including deceiving the organization and harming public interests.

The investigation found that the group, while on an official trip, had been drinking alcohol provided at the business-class lounge at Frankfurt Airport in Germany on March 21, 2024, during a layover on their way back to China. Zhao became severely intoxicated and was denied boarding by Air China cabin crew.

Ren then pressured the crew to allow the entire group to board, and the resulting standoff delayed the flight's departure by 68 minutes, prompting passenger complaints.

Ren and Zhao were also reported to have been upgraded to first class in violation of regulations.

China Aviation Supplies Holding Company is a state-owned enterprise that specializes in purchasing civil aircraft for use in China.

After returning to China, the two concealed the incident and failed to report it.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection stripped them of their party positions and dismissed them from their posts. Others implicated in the incident received serious warnings and had demerits recorded. Air China officials found responsible were given serious warnings and demoted.