A violent altercation broke out between passengers on AirAsia X flight D7326 from Kuala Lumpur to Chengdu on 21 Jul 2025. The four-hour flight descended into chaos when a dispute over loud talking escalated into physical violence.
Flight data showed the aircraft departed Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 6:11pm and landed in Chengdu, Sichuan province at 10:13pm local time.
Passenger Confrontation Escalates Into Physical Violence
The confrontation began shortly after takeoff when cabin lights were dimmed for the evening flight. A male passenger seated near a group of three women asked them to lower their voices so he could rest.
The women reportedly refused to quiet down and continued chatting. This triggered a heated exchange between both parties.
A witness told ViralPress that the man called the women “stupid” and told them to “shut up”, saying “I want to sleep”. Another passenger who spoke to The New York Post described the man’s tone as “quite aggressive”, while noting the three women were “chatting too loudly”.
The verbal argument quickly turned physical. Two women from the group retaliated by attacking the man.
Viral footage showed one woman pulling on what appeared to be a lanyard the man was wearing, while screams echoed through the cabin.
A second woman, dressed in a green top and baseball cap, was seen climbing over her seat to repeatedly punch the man.
The man tried to shield himself behind his tray table as the woman in green leaned over and struck him multiple times. Shouts of “sit down” could be heard in the background.
Airport Police Investigation and Airline Response
Cabin crew stepped in to separate the passengers and defuse the situation. The involved parties were ushered back to their seats as flight staff managed the incident according to safety protocols.
Police were waiting at Chengdu airport when the flight landed. The Airport Public Security Bureau of the Sichuan Provincial Public Security Department launched an investigation into the mid-air brawl.
The South China Morning Post reported that five Chinese passengers were involved in the dispute. Airport police arrested three passengers and fined the other two.
AirAsia X confirmed the altercation occurred on flight D7326 in response to media queries. The airline stated that cabin crew “acted swiftly and professionally to manage the situation in line with established safety protocols”.
The incident did not impact return flight schedules or disrupt operations.
The airline maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward any behaviour that may affect passenger comfort, safety, or experience. AirAsia X reminded all guests to be respectful throughout their journey.
The US Federal Aviation Administration reported that airlines logged more than 1,240 unruly passenger cases in 2024.
Some carriers, such as Ryanair, have implemented fines to tackle disruptive behaviour, charging £500 (~SGD$830) to passengers who are removed from aircraft due to unruly conduct.
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