Cathay Pacific Airways has banned a couple after they were involved
in a heated argument with a mainland Chinese passenger on a flight from
Hong Kong to London on 17 September 2024.
The incident went viral when the passenger, known online as Jin
Yuelin, posted a video of the confrontation on Xiaohongshu, a popular
social media site in China.
In her post, Jin explained that a woman sitting behind her asked her
to raise her seat because it was blocking her husband’s view of the TV.
Jin politely refused, saying the flight was smooth at the time.
Following her refusal, the couple began to use hurtful language towards
her.
When Jin asked a flight attendant for help, she was told to adjust
her seat, even though it wasn’t meal time. Jin said, "I was asked to
make the compromise," and mentioned that the couple continued to kick
the back of her seat. Her request to change seats was denied because the
flight was fully booked.
The couple's behaviour included shaking Jin’s seat, which made her
feel very uncomfortable. Other passengers supported Jin and criticised
the couple’s actions. Cathay Pacific stated that the couple's behaviour
was unacceptable, leading to their ban from future flights.