An airline passenger has faced severe repercussions following his bizarre request during a flight.
China Eastern Airlines has banned a passenger after he allegedly demanded to kick a flight attendant who accidentally bumped his elbow with a service cart.
The incident occurred on September 27, aboard a flight traveling from Hefei to Dalian, China. According to the airline, the man had been sleeping when a flight attendant accidentally struck his elbow while pushing a beverage cart through the cabin.
The attendant reportedly apologized immediately and repeatedly checked on him. However, the passenger was dissatisfied with the apology, as he thought it was "too late." He then began shouting at the crew.
Passenger Permanently Banned by China Eastern After Flight Attendant Confrontation
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) October 5, 2026
A passenger who demanded an apology-and allegedly insisted a flight attendant let him "kick her back"-after a beverage cart accidentally bumped his arm has now been permanently banned from flying... pic.twitter.com/uDJcuvg4RL
According to reports, the situation escalated when the man demanded that he be able to kick the flight attendant. Video recorded by another passenger showed the attendant kneeling in tears during the confrontation. A senior flight attendant and an onboard security officer eventually intervened to calm the situation.
Passenger's Injury Claims Questioned After Medical Examination
After the plane landed, medical personnel boarded the aircraft to examine the passenger. They reportedly found no visible external injuries or swelling and determined that further medical treatment was unnecessary.
A witness who filmed the incident said the cart had not been moving quickly and that the crew previously provided the passenger with an ice pack.
The passenger also allegedly demanded that the flight attendant accompany him to seek medical attention after landing. However, he later declined ground staff's offer to help arrange further care and left the airport on his own.
China Eastern Bans Rowdy Passenger
China Eastern initially addressed the incident in a September 30 statement. Following public criticism over the passenger's behavior, the airline announced on October 3 that it had suspended him from flying with the carrier and reported him to police over "disrupting the order inside the civil aircraft and seriously infringing on the personal dignity and performance rights of the company's employees."
The airline has said it was providing counseling and legal support to the flight attendant. It added that it was reviewing the incident and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting employees' professional dignity.
China Eastern has not publicly disclosed further details about any potential legal consequences for the passenger.