Flight Attendant Knelt To Apologise After Cart Bumped Passenger’s Elbow; China Eastern Says He Threatened To Kick Her

An incident on a China Eastern Airlines flight escalated far beyond your usual "sorry about that".

A female flight attendant was filmed kneeling and apologising to a male passenger after accidentally bumping into his elbow while serving drinks on a September 28 flight from Hefei to Dalian.

And according to China Eastern, the passenger later threatened to kick her.

According to China Eastern's September 30 statement, the passenger was asleep when the flight attendant's service cart accidentally came into contact with his elbow.

The airline said the attendant immediately apologised repeatedly and checked on his condition.

But according to the airline, the passenger became agitated and continued using "harsh and aggressive language".

The airline said he also threatened to kick the flight attendant and demanded that she accompany him for medical attention after the plane landed.

The encounter left the attendant badly shaken, according to the airline.

Footage taken by another passenger subsequently went viral, showing the attendant kneeling to talk to the passenger.

According to Chinese media reports, the passenger who filmed the video said the attendant knelt two or three times and remained down for some time, though he did not capture the entire incident on camera.

He also claimed the cart had not been moving quickly and the passenger did not appear to be bleeding.

Cabin crew reportedly provided the man with an ice pack for his elbow.

The chief flight attendant and an onboard security officer eventually stepped in to deal with the situation and maintain order in the cabin.

After the flight landed, medical personnel boarded the aircraft to examine the passenger.

According to China Eastern, they found no visible external injury or swelling and determined that he did not require further medical treatment.

The airline said the passenger then declined an offer from ground staff to accompany him for further medical attention and left on his own.

Meanwhile, China Eastern provided the flight attendant with psychological counselling and support following the incident, and she has since returned to work.

The airline said it is reviewing the entire incident and gathering evidence with the relevant parties.

It also made its position on its cabin crew clear, saying it would protect the "professional dignity" of its employees in accordance with laws and regulations.

The incident sparked plenty of discussion online, with some netizens questioning the passenger's reaction.

"Why did the passenger extend his elbow beyond his seat knowing the food cart was coming? That's intentional," wrote the netizen.

Another speculated: "Probably trying to earn compensation."

There is, however, no evidence that the passenger deliberately put his elbow in the cart's path or that he was seeking compensation.

Photos: SBS News, Moscow_en/X, Skytrax