China Eastern reports passenger after flight attendant kneeling incident

China Eastern Airlines has reported a male passenger to police after an onboard confrontation in which a flight attendant was filmed kneeling in the aisle to apologise for bumping his elbow with a service trolley. The airline said on Saturday that it believed the passenger had disturbed order aboard a civil aircraft and infringed the employee’s personal dignity. It also said the passenger had been banned from flying with China Eastern.

The incident occurred on a flight from Hefei in Anhui province to Dalian in Liaoning province. Footage recorded by another passenger began circulating online on Monday. According to China Eastern, the crew member accidentally struck the sleeping passenger’s elbow during drinks service.

The airline said she apologised immediately and repeatedly, but the passenger became agitated, used offensive language and threatened to kick her. The carrier said the passenger demanded that the flight attendant accompany him to hospital after landing. Chinese media reports, citing the person who uploaded the video, said the passenger rejected the apologies and the attendant repeatedly knelt to ask for forgiveness.

The airline did not explain why she knelt. China Eastern said the crew member was offered medical care and support and had returned to work. Medical personnel examined the passenger after landing and found no serious injury requiring further treatment.

The footage prompted debate about complaint-driven evaluations for cabin crew. Beijing Daily reported that passenger complaints can affect annual performance ratings, bonuses and career advancement. The People’s Daily said the passenger’s demands went beyond legitimate rights protection and urged airlines to intervene, preserve evidence and refer aggressive passengers to police.

China Eastern said it had formally reported the incident to public security authorities. The airline is one of China’s three major state-owned carriers, according to the supplied report.