Cathay Pacific Hong Kong: Airline bans couple from its flights after they hurled insults and 'harassed' passenger over reclining seat

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An airline has banned a couple from its flights after a row erupted with a Chinese traveller over reclining seats.

The Chinese woman posted a video of the incident on social media where she complained of being harassed by the couple seated behind her. Cathay Airlines - Hong Kong's flag carrier - said the couple had been added to their no-fly list after the incident.

It said in a statement that it has "a strict zero-tolerance policy" towards behaviours that disrespect fellow passengers. The Chinese woman posted the video on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu.

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The Chinese woman said in the post that the couple accused her of obstructing their view of the in-flight television before asking her to place her seat into the upright position. After she refused, she claimed the wife stretched her legs out and put them on the armrests of her seat. She then started rebuking her in Cantonese and slapping her arm, the woman claimed.

An airline has banned a couple from its flights after a row erupted with a Chinese traveller over reclining seats. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)An airline has banned a couple from its flights after a row erupted with a Chinese traveller over reclining seats. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)
An airline has banned a couple from its flights after a row erupted with a Chinese traveller over reclining seats. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

The video showed the wife putting her middle finger up at the Chinese woman. A flight attendant swiftly arrived at the aisle to try and resolve the issue and she suggested that the woman straighten her seat.

Other passengers around the couple criticised their behaviour, with one accusing them of being a "bully". The video of the incident garnered mixed reactions with viewers in disagreement over who was in the wrong.

One person commented: “If they want more space, they should have paid for first-class seats”. Another said: "Most people in Hong Kong are kind, this couple is an exception."

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Cathay Pacific said in a statement that it wanted to “sincerely apologise” for the “unpleasant experience”. “We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for any behaviour that violates aviation safety regulations or disrespects the rights of other customers,” the airline said, according to CNN . It added: “We will deny future travel on any Cathay Group flights to the two customers involved in this incident.”

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