Nuts! Korean flight delayed by first class spat
The airline has apologized for inconveniencing passengers, but also excused the woman's behavior
The airline has apologized for inconveniencing passengers, but also excused the woman’s behavior. (Source: AP photo)
Forget dust-ups over reclining seats in economy class. There’s a new and exclusive twist on inflight anger: Nut rage in first class.
A recent Korean Air Lines flight was delayed when the daughter of its chairman ordered a senior crew member off the plane for allowing passengers in the pointy end of the aircraft to be served bagged macadamia nuts instead of nuts on a plate.
The airline has apologized for inconveniencing passengers, but also excused the woman’s behavior.
South Korean daily Segye Ilbo reported this week that the flight from New York City to Incheon, South Korea returned to the gate after Cho Hyun-ah told the head of cabin crew to leave the plane. The report said Cho quarreled with crew in the first class cabin and the flight departed 20 minutes late.
Cho, 40, is vice president responsible for cabin service at the airline. She is the oldest child of Korean Air’s chairman, tycoon Cho Yang-ho. Her two siblings are also executives at South Korea’s largest airline.
The incident caused uproar in South Korea where it was seen as an example of over-mighty behavior by the offspring of the moneyed elite.
The South Korean economy is dominated by family-controlled conglomerates known as chaebol. Family members often wield greater influence over major companies than shareholders and executives with no blood ties to the founding family.
Korean Air Lines confirmed that Flight 86 was delayed at John F. Kennedy airport on December 5 due to the nut incident. But the company said the decision to disembark the crew member was made by the flight’s captain.
South Korea’s government said it is investigating whether Cho violated aviation safety law. Cho could face legal action if the probe shows that she interrupted the flight or endangered safety by using threats, her status or violence.
Korean Air Lines Co. said Tuesday it was “natural” for Cho to fault crew’s ignorance of procedures.
Cabin crew are required to ask first class passengers whether they want nuts, partly to avoid serving them to people with allergies. The nuts also should have been served on a plate. The airline said it will step up training to improve customer service and safety. Cho was not available to comment.
People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, a civic group, said it would file a complaint against Cho with prosecutors.”
The anger and the concern from the public were so big because safety and procedures related to important services were simply ignored” due to Cho’s status, the group said.
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