A dispute over seat selection on an AirAsia flight in Kuala Lumpur escalated to the point where all passengers had to disembark, delaying the aircraft’s departure.
The incident reportedly took place on Oct 25, after a woman insisted on sitting beside her husband despite not having paid for seat selection.
According to China Press, the seat next to her husband was initially empty when the couple boarded. The woman then took it, even though it was not the seat assigned to her.
Cabin crew subsequently instructed her to return to her allocated seat or pay the additional fee to remain beside her husband.
However, the woman and her travelling companions allegedly refused to comply, raising their voices and arguing with the crew.
In a video shared by Sin Chew Daily, the woman defended her decision, saying she had only taken the seat because it was empty. She also questioned whether doing so was against the rules.
Other members of the group reportedly argued that it was normal for all six of them to sit together and questioned why they had to pay extra to do so.
At one point, a member of the group was heard challenging other passengers within earshot, asking: “Are you even Chinese? Do you even know what happened?”
China Press reported that cabin crew eventually called security personnel to intervene as the situation escalated.
All passengers were subsequently asked to disembark, preventing the flight from departing on schedule.
According to AirAsia’s website, passengers who wish to select their seats must pay an additional fee when booking their tickets, checking in online or at the airport counter.
Passengers can also pre-book seats through the AirAsia MOVE app or website up to two hours before departure.
Alternatively, they can purchase seats at an airport counter or Airport Sales Office at least four hours before their scheduled departure.
