A China Eastern Airlines passenger took his complaint well beyond an apology after a service cart bumped his elbow, asking to kick the flight attendant responsible.
An accidental knock from the drinks trolley is hardly anyone’s idea of first-class service. But on a flight from Hefei to Dalian in China, one passenger’s reaction left a crew member crying and kneeling beside his seat.
According to Mothership, the attendant apologized after her cart struck the man’s elbow. He complained that the apology came too late and began shouting, prompting a senior crew member to step in.
The complaint then reached a different altitude: the passenger asked the attendant to let him kick her. She eventually knelt down in tears, with another passenger recording footage that spread online.
China Eastern backs kneeling crew member after cart complaint takes off
In a September 30 statement reported by 8days, China Eastern said the man had been asleep when the cart accidentally hit his elbow.
The airline said the attendant immediately apologized repeatedly and checked on him. However, he continued using aggressive language, wanted to kick her and demanded that she accompany him for medical attention after landing.
A senior flight attendant and an onboard security officer intervened to restore order.
A witness who filmed the exchange said the trolley had not been moving quickly and that crew provided an ice pack.
The complaint made it all the way to a medical examination. After landing, medical personnel boarded the aircraft and found no visible external injury or swelling, according to China Eastern. They determined that further treatment was unnecessary.
The passenger then declined ground staff’s offer to accompany him for additional medical attention and left on his own.
Ultimately, the passenger’s behavior also earned him a grounding. In an October 3 update, China Eastern announced it had suspended him from flying with the airline and reported his behavior to police over suspected disruption onboard.
China Eastern said the attendant received counseling and support and has since returned to work. The airline is reviewing the incident and pledged to protect its employees’ “professional dignity.”
It’s the second very different trolley dispute to make headlines in recent months. In July, Breeze Airways called police after a passenger helped himself to snacks without paying. Elsewhere, Avianca banned an influencer following a chemical fart prank onboard. Cabin crews have had plenty to contend with in 2026.
