Hong Kong Airline Adds Couple To No-Fly List After Row Over Seat Reclining

Cathay Pacific has banned a Hong Kong couple from its flights after a row with a mainland Chinese traveller over her reclining seat. According to the BBC, the airline said on Sunday that it had added the couple to its no-fly list as it has "a strict zero-tolerance policy" towards behaviours that disrespect fellow passengers. The Hong Kong flag carrier's statement came after the Chinese woman posted about the incident on social media. In her post, she claimed that her row with the middle-aged couple started after they accused her of obstructing their view of the in-flight television and asked her to straighten her seat. 

According to the BBC, the incident took place on a flight from Hong Kong to London on 17 September. In her social media post, the woman passenger said that when she refused to straighten her seat, the wife stretched her legs and put them on the armrests of her seat. She also started scolding the Chinese woman in Cantonese and slapping her arm, the post said. 

"When she realised I couldn't speak Cantonese, she started calling me 'mainland girl' in a derogatory tone," the woman said. She also added that the husband, who was seated directly behind her, "frantically pushed" the back of her seat. The wife also raised her middle finger at the woman. 

The Chinese woman then sought help from a flight attendant, who suggested that she straighten her seat. "I was shocked because it was not mealtime, yet the flight attendant wanted me to compromise," the woman said. "I rejected the suggestion," she added. 

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The woman also went on to say that several passengers who witnessed the incident criticised the couple's behaviour. "Don't call yourself a Hong Konger, you bully," one passenger said. 

"This is too much. How old are you? Why are you bullying a young girl?" another said. 

On social media, several users also criticised the couple for their behaviour. "If they want more space, they should have paid for first-class seats," one user said. "Most people in Hong Kong are kind, this couple is an exception," commented another. 

The Chinese woman's post also sparked a debate on whether reclining aeroplane seats are acceptable. While some users said that it should be acceptable, others said it can get uncomfortable when passengers in front recline their seats too far back.