A recent incident on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to London has sparked outrage and brought to light the simmering tensions between Hong Kong and mainland China. The incident began as a disagreement over seat-reclining etiquette but quickly escalated into a xenophobic confrontation.
A female passenger from mainland China, who shared her experience on the popular Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, detailed how the argument unfolded. She stated that the woman behind her demanded she raise her seat because it obstructed her husband’s view of the in-flight entertainment screen. After refusing, the woman behind her allegedly stretched her feet onto the armrest, kicked her, and launched into a barrage of insults. The situation worsened when the passenger was mocked for her Cantonese, with derogatory comments about her being from mainland China.
As tensions rose, other passengers intervened, and the flight attendants offered the woman a different seat. “Once I started recording, the husband behind me even shoved his hand on my armrest and started shaking it like crazy. I felt my personal space had been completely violated,” CNN quoted the woman as saying. “After some passengers spoke up for me, the flight attendant finally said I could switch seats. I felt it was absurd—what if no one had backed me up? Would I have just been left to deal with it on my own?” she added.
Cathay Pacific, in response to the incident, issued an apology and stated that they maintain a zero-tolerance policy for any behavior that disrespects others or violates safety regulations. The airline took decisive action by banning both passengers involved from future flights. “We will deny future travel on any Cathay Group flights to the two customers involved in this incident,” the company said.
This incident has reignited discussions about appropriate behavior on flights, particularly regarding seat-reclining etiquette. However, beyond the typical complaints of cramped air travel, this incident highlights a deeper societal issue: the growing tensions between Hong Kong and mainland China. Political differences and the aftermath of the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong have fueled a sense of animosity between the two regions, and this incident serves as a stark reminder of this ongoing friction.
