The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) penalized Shenzhen-based Donghai Airlines over a fight between crew members.
The airline will not be able to add new flights and routes for an unspecified amount of time, the aviation authority said on March 15, 2021.
The incident happened on February 20, 2021. On a flight between Nantong (NTG) and Xian (XIY), a flight between a pilot and a flight attendant broke out.
According to Chinese media, the pilot accused the head flight attendant of not performing his duties, after a passenger attempted to use a bathroom while the pilot was in there. Due to safety concerns, passengers are not permitted to be near the bathroom occupied by pilots.
The dispute resulted in a scuffle which saw other crew members being involved and both original participants receiving injuries. Recordings of the incident went viral on Chinese social media in early March, resulting in an investigation.
As the investigation concluded, the CAAC announced that the pilot will have his license revoked, and the flight attendant, as well as other crew members, will receive flight bans. Additionally, a part of the airline’s top management will be fired and receive fines.