A chaotic scene unfolded at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on November 10 when a passenger lashed out at an airport staff member and it led to a physical confrontation. The incident, caught on camera, occurred reportedly due to a dispute over check-in procedures.
Assistant Commissioner Azman Shariat, the District Police Chief, described the episode to The Star as a result of a “misunderstanding” following the passenger’s tardiness during the check-in process, which quickly escalated into an altercation. Shariat said the staff member sustained minor injuries, but no arrests had been made at the time of reporting.
“The incident stemmed from a misunderstanding between the two after the passenger was late during the checking-in process. This then led to a fight and the worker was slightly injured,” The Star quoted Shariat as saying.
The footage, shared by Viral Press, shows the passenger striking the employee, prompting a flurry of reactions from onlookers. Security personnel intervened to separate the pair, after which the employee, visibly shaken, pointed at the passenger as he was escorted away from the scene.
This confrontation adds to the troubling trend of passenger aggression at airports and on flights. Recent months have seen a number of similar incidents.
Earlier, an Air India cabin crew member was allegedly assaulted in her hotel room in London. The airline confirmed the incident, describing it as an “unlawful intrusion” and the crew member was offered immediate assistance and professional counselling. The attack occurred at a Heathrow hotel, and a suspect, believed to be a Nigerian citizen, was arrested.
Before that, a SpiceJet employee was arrested after slapping a CISF assistant sub-inspector during a security screening altercation at Jaipur airport. The incident happened early in the morning when the employee was stopped for not having permission to enter through a specific gate. An argument broke out when she was asked to go to another entrance for screening, but no female CISF officer was available. SpiceJet claimed the employee was verbally harassed by the CISF officer and took legal action. Police charged her with assaulting a public servant.