Recently, China Eastern Airlines, a member airline of our association, accidentally touched a passenger in the dining car during the cabin service process. The flight attendant and flight attendant on duty apologized to the passenger many times and carried out service remedies. The passenger still verbally attacked and threatened the flight attendant on duty. After the incident occurred, China Eastern Airlines collaborated with relevant parties to conduct a comprehensive review and evidence collection of the incident process, and provided psychological counseling and care support to the flight attendants involved. At present, China Eastern Airlines has completed the fixation of evidence and officially reported the case.
The "Civil Aviation Law of the People's Republic of China" that came into effect on July 1, 2026 clearly stipulates that it is prohibited to cause quarrels and troubles on civil aircraft, and it is prohibited to insult or beat crew members. It also adds a special section on "Passenger Rights Protection" in Chapter Six. Protecting the legitimate rights and interests of passengers and safeguarding the safety of civil aviation transportation and the professional dignity of employees are two aspects of the new law and cannot be neglected. Accordingly, the China Air Transport Association calls on the industry and society to:
1. Firmly support member airlines in safeguarding the rights and interests of employees in performing their duties in accordance with the law. Flight attendants are the guarantors of cabin safety. Their personal dignity and rights in performing their duties are protected by law and must not be trampled upon. Any passenger's behavior of insulting or intimidating the staff on the aircraft exceeds the legal boundaries of normal rights protection and is suspected of violating the relevant provisions of the Civil Aviation Law and the Public Security Management Punishment Law.
2. Call on member airlines to optimize on-site handling procedures for disruptive behavior on board and ensure that front-line personnel perform their duties. Strictly implement the principle of "unified leadership of the captain and close cooperation of all personnel" for on-board incident handling, continue to strengthen the construction of capability systems such as pre-judgment, air-ground linkage, standardized evidence collection, and police-enterprise collaboration, reduce the performance risks of front-line employees in handling emergencies, and improve the efficiency and standardization of on-board incident handling and investigation.
3. Call on all passengers to take flights in a civilized manner and protect their rights rationally. Passengers have the right to service guarantees in accordance with the law. If they are dissatisfied with the service, they should express their demands through legal channels such as complaints, appeals, and lawsuits. They cannot "defend their rights" by insulting or insulting their personality, nor can they deliberately amplify disputes, insist on unreasonable demands, or make malicious complaints that distract the frontline from performing duties and occupy and consume public resources. Being noisy and causing trouble in an aircraft will not only affect other passengers, but in serious cases may also endanger flight safety.
The China Air Transport Association will continue to follow up on the progress of the follow-up handling of the incident, actively promote member airlines to improve service management systems and cabin service standards, and continue to strengthen the protection of the rights and interests of front-line employees such as flight attendants. The temperature of service and the boundaries of rules support each other. The bottom line of service is protected by rules and the passenger experience is enhanced by temperature. Only by paying equal attention to both can the service quality and brand image of China's civil aviation be continuously improved.
