'I want to sleep': Fight erupts on AirAsia X flight after passengers keep talking despite dimmed cabin lights

CNA

4 days ago

SINGAPORE: A fight broke out between passengers on an AirAsia X flight on Monday (Jul 21) evening after three of them allegedly refused to lower their voices while the cabin lights were dimmed.
In response to CNA's query, AirAsia confirmed that the altercation took place on board flight number D7326, which was heading to Chengdu, China from Kuala Lumpur.
A man seated behind a group of women who were chatting reportedly asked them to quiet down so he could rest. This occurred shortly after the plane took off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, according to the New York Post and Malaysian news outlet the Malay Mail.
The trio reportedly refused and carried on chatting, triggering a heated exchange between both parties. The male passenger allegedly called the group "stupid", asked them to "shut up" and said, "I want to sleep".
While a fellow passenger told the New York Post that the three women were "chatting too loudly", she noted that the man's tone was also "quite aggressive".
The incident went viral on social media, with footage showing one woman pulling on what appeared to be a lanyard the man was wearing, while screams can be heard in the background.
Cabin crew then step in to separate her and another woman, who was dressed in a green top and a baseball cap, from the man.
In another video posted online, the woman in the green top can be seen leaning over her seat before repeatedly punching the man, who tried to shield himself behind his tray table, while shouts to "sit down"
✈️ কুয়ালালামপুর থেকে চেংদু—মাত্র কয়েক ঘণ্টার ফ্লাইট হলেও কেবিন ক্রুর গুরুত্ব অপরিসীম। তারা কেবল খাবার দেয় না, বিপদের...
Posted by Seen & Real on Monday, July 21, 2025
AirAsia X told CNA that the cabin crew had "acted swiftly and professionally to manage the situation in line with established safety protocols".
"The (local) authorities were notified and they met the aircraft upon landing to ensure appropriate action was taken," it added. "The incident did not impact the return flight schedules or disrupt operations."
The South China Morning Post said on Wednesday that a total of five Chinese passengers got involved in the dispute, with airport police arresting three of them and fining the other two.
On unruly passenger behaviour, AirAsia X said it "would like to remind all guests to be respectful throughout their journey".
"The airline maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward any behaviour that may affect the comfort, safety, or experience of others onboard."
The US Federal Aviation Administration noted in August 2024 that airlines had reported more than 1,240 unruly passenger cases that year.
Some airlines like Ryanair have opted to tackle disruptive behaviour by imposing fines. Ryanair, Europe's biggest airline by passenger numbers, said in a statement on Jun 12 that "disruptive passengers whose unruly behaviour" result in their removal from aircraft would be fined £500 (US$677).