An altercation between two passengers over an empty seat escalated into a brawl on an EVA Air flight from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on May 7, 2024.
Flight BR 08 departed TPE Airport and was just three hours into the 11-hour flight when the fight began.
EVA Air told local Taiwanese media the commotion began when a passenger decided to switch seats because the person next to him was coughing. According to the airline, the man found an empty seat and settled in it. However, the original occupant of the seat returned several minutes later – and that’s when the confrontation began.
Video footage of the brawl was posted by A Fly Guy’s Cabin Crew Lounge, a Facebook page with over a million followers from the aviation industry.
The clip showed the two men exchanging punches while a female flight attendant placed herself between the pair to de-escalate the situation. Two other flight attendants can be seen holding back one of the men, while fellow passengers stepped in to restrain the other man.
Flight attendants then placed the men in separate areas of the aircraft for the remainder of the flight.
The men were handed over to airport police when the flight arrived at SFO.
EVA Air also said it has a zero-tolerance policy towards “passenger nuisance” incidents and praised its staff for the quick intervention.
