Flight Incident Leads to Arrest of Passenger

A 71-year-old female passenger was apprehended and added to a no-fly list after reportedly slapping a flight attendant during a journey from Japan to Taiwan.

This week, clips of the alleged incident, which took place on April 3 during the descent of a 4.5-hour flight from Fukushima to Taipei, circulated on social media.

As IT Flight 753 neared landing, the pilot instructed passengers to fasten their seatbelts and stay in their seats. However, a passenger named Zhang disregarded this directive and stood in the aisle to put on his shoes. Meanwhile, 33-year-old flight attendant Ryu was conducting a final safety check when she accidentally bumped into an older colleague.

The situation reportedly unsettled Mr. Zhang, prompting him to mislead the crew, as per reports. The flight attendant offered an apology and assistance, but passengers became agitated.

“The flight attendant asked if she needed medical help, and while she said it wasn’t serious, she continued to shout,” shared one witness, noting that the flight attendant handled the situation with professionalism.

The footage shows the senior slapping the flight attendant in the face during a moment of agitation.

Upon landing at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, officials from the Aviation Police Bureau boarded the aircraft and took Zhang into custody.

Reports indicate that both crew and passengers have pointed fingers at each other regarding the event, with discussions of possible legal action underway.

Tigerair Taiwan has voiced its strong support for its staff. “We utterly condemn this behavior, which severely undermines the dignity and safety of our employees,” said a spokesperson for the airline. “We are fully committed to defending our colleagues’ legal rights and have engaged lawyers to assist those involved. The safety of our crew on duty is vital to flight safety.”