SINGAPORE, Feb 7 – Singapore Airlines (SIA) has confirmed that it removed two passengers from a flight bound for Shanghai yesterday after they “verbally and physically abused” cabin crew members.
A SIA spokesman was quoted by Straits Times saying the incident occurred on Flight SQ826 while it was taxiing for take-off.
The pilots decided to return to the gate, and both the passenger and their companion were offloaded and handed over to local authorities at Changi Airport.
“SIA believes that all our employees have a right to a safe and respectful workplace environment,” the spokesman reportedly said.
“We do not tolerate any form of unruly or abusive behaviour, whether on the ground or in the air.”.
The incident delayed the flight by 1 hour and 46 minutes, with departure eventually taking place at 3.01am.
SIA said it had apologised to passengers for the inconvenience and reiterated that safety remains its top priority.
A video of the altercation, showing a woman shouting in Mandarin while crew members attempted to de-escalate the situation, was shared on TikTok.
SIA said its crew are trained to recognise and address behaviour that threatens safety on board.
The airline added that ground staff have the authority to refuse boarding to passengers displaying errant behaviour to ensure the safety and comfort of others.
