United States airport police were called to meet two men on a flight from Taiwan after a row over an empty plane seat. The EVA Air flight from Taipei to San Francisco on Tuesday erupted over what was reportedly a misunderstanding over seating. A passenger took exception to his seatmate’s coughing.
The man, “uncomfortable” at being near the sick traveller, reportedly moved into what he assumed was an empty seat, according to TVBS News. He assumed wrongly. A video clip shared to X (Twitter) shows the seat’s owner, in a white T-shirt emerging from the plane’s toilet.
Incensed to find someone else in his seat, he comes after the other man, swinging punches. Cabin crew intervened, trying to restrain the passenger. Then the man in the wrong seat attempted to hit back.
He was stopped by a third cabin crew member who put herself between the two fighting passengers. “[I was] so afraid that the stewardess will be punched,” said Alex Pierce, who shared the clip to social media. I’m so afraid that the stewardess will be punched🫣 There was a conflict on the Evergreen flight to San Francisco! Eva Air "Passengers fight each other over seats" stewardess bravely breaks up the fight pic.
twitter.com/6l9IpzhCNM Loud screams can be heard in the video from other passengers, and several get to their feet in confusion. The bystander to the fight on Flight BR08 praised the bravery of the stewardess in breaking up the fight.
The two men were handed over to US law enforcement on arri.
