Cathay’s ban on abusive passengers ‘right’ move, say Hong Kong industry leaders
Former Airport Authority member and lawmaker say airline had to show it won’t tolerate aggressive behaviour that affects business and flouts rules
A former Airport Authority board member and a lawmaker on Sunday defended the airline’s move to add the couple to its no-fly list, as its actions continued to draw mixed reactions online, particularly on the mainland social media platform Xiaohongshu, where the traveller initially posted her complaint on Saturday.
The post gained 180,000 likes and prompted more than 28,500 comments as of Sunday afternoon. It prompted the airline to announce on Saturday that the couple would be banned from future Cathay flights, citing the need to “maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy” towards disrespectful behaviour.
In a televised interview on Sunday, the woman said she was moved by other passengers who had spoken up during the incident and had tried to help.
“When the first person spoke up, tears welled up in my eyes. I felt a deep sense of injustice, but also a relief that someone understood and spoke up for me, including a lot of Hongkongers who helped me. I see this as an isolated incident and do not want it to affect the unity between the two places,” she said.