Four Passengers Fight on Flight from Hong Kong to Seoul

SEOUL— A mid-air disagreement among four passengers led Hong Kong Airlines to alert Korean authorities upon landing at Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN). The incident took place on flight HX628, which originated from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), culminating in written warnings for those involved.

On Friday, the flight departed HKG at 9:09 am and arrived in ICN at 1:03 pm local time. Cabin crew swiftly intervened, separating two pairs of passengers after the argument escalated into a physical confrontation. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and passengers were handed over to Korean officials.

Hong Kong Airlines Passengers Brawl

Reports indicate that the dispute began when a Mandarin-speaking woman accused another passenger of hitting her son after contact occurred while the child was heading to the restroom.

Video footage circulating online captures the woman repeatedly exclaiming, “he hit my son,” while physically gripping the accused passenger.

A Cantonese-speaking woman from the other party countered that the child had initiated the contact.

The incident escalated quickly, leading to multiple flight attendants stepping in. They repeatedly urged both groups to “calm down” as they tried to maintain distance between the involved parties.

Only after the four individuals stood up and were physically separated did the tension begin to ease. In the video, the Mandarin-speaking woman later informed crew members that she meant to apologize but claimed the other passenger’s child retaliated with a punch.

Airline’s Response

A spokesperson for Hong Kong Airlines mentioned that the crew acted in accordance with company procedures, intervening promptly and issuing written warnings to the parties involved. The affected individuals were later managed by local authorities upon arrival in Seoul.

The airline confirmed that no injuries occurred and emphasized its commitment to on-board safety and order, highlighting that disruptive behavior will be reported to the relevant authorities.

This incident follows a separate occurrence in July involving HK Express, where police intervened on flight UO597 due to an argument over the kicking of a seat by a child. This dispute, which involved a Portuguese woman and a Chinese man traveling with his three-year-old nephew, gained significant attention across Chinese social media platforms.