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A cabin crew member aboard a Shenzhen Airlines flight was bitten while attempting to break up a fight between two female passengers over body odor. The incident occurred on April 1, as the flight was preparing to depart from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.
According to a report from the South China Morning Post, the altercation began when one passenger became upset by the body odor of the other, while the second passenger objected to the first woman’s perfume. Both women were seated in the same row on the right side of the aircraft, and what started as a verbal confrontation quickly escalated into a physical brawl. Despite efforts from flight attendants and other male passengers to separate the two, the fight continued.
One of the viral videos from the incident shows a cabin crew member trying to defuse the situation, only to be bitten on the arm. The flight attendant can be heard shouting, “Open your mouth. You have bitten me!” while another passenger was also reportedly scratched during the altercation.
When the police arrived, they escorted the two unruly passengers off the plane. The fight caused a delay to the flight, as all passengers were asked to disembark the aircraft, only to reboard two hours later. Shenzhen Airlines issued a statement saying, “We do our best to safeguard the legal rights of both passengers and our employees. We call on passengers to obey the rules and take your trips in a civilised manner.”
The exact consequences for the two passengers are still unclear, as the police have launched an investigation into the incident.
The video of the altercation quickly went viral on social media, with users offering various reactions. Some social media users suggested that airlines should empower cabin crew to take stronger actions, such as using tasers in extreme situations. Others expressed concern for the bitten flight attendant, urging her to get vaccinated against possible infections. Some commenters questioned the adequacy of cabin crew training to handle such chaotic situations and suggested that airlines should provide better support for their staff in these cases.
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