Mentally unstable passenger causes onboard disturbance, sparking heated debate

A female passenger identified by surname Niu had disputes in business class of Air China flight CA4107 with another passenger who made a phone call during taxiing but before take-off on July 12. Niu kept shouting and behaved violently during the whole journey and claimed to be a supervisor of Air China.

Screenshot from Sina Weibo shows scriptwriter Li Yaling exposing a video, saying the passenger kept behaving violently on board. [Photo: China Plus]

Famous scriptwriter Li Yaling, who was in business class during the same flight, exposed the case on Sina Weibo and it caused hot debate online on how to protect the rights of both mental patients and other passengers.

Niu is actually a stewardess rather than a supervisor in the company, but she hasn't worked for a long time due to her mental health issues, said Xu Yanchun, head of the publicity department of Air China in an interview with The Beijing News two days later.

Li wrote on her Weibo posting that the cabin crew had apologized many times during the flight. Air China, however, claimed it has no right to refuse mental patients to board, adding that it acted appropriately and will not make any compensation to other passengers.

Li also said Niu has been exposed by netizens that she has on a number of other occasions caused disturbances at airports, on planes, subways and buses.

Screenshot from Sina Weibo shows scriptwriter Li Yaling exposing a video, saying the passenger kept behaving violently on board. [Photo: China Plus]

Many netizens argue that if airlines allow a mental patient to board without a guardian they are very likely to compromise the security on board and other passengers' safety.

A lawyer in Beijing suggested that passengers with mental health issues should make an application and prove that they are in a stable condition during the scheduled flight. For those who obviously behave abnormally when boarding, airlines should have the right to refuse the passenger.

China's civil aviation regulations stipulate that for people with infectious diseases, mental health issues or other conditions that may harm themselves or others, airliners should not allow them to board.