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AirAsia flight to Shanghai disrupted by passenger defecating in seat

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A female passenger on an AirAsia flight from Kota Kinabalu to Shanghai allegedly defecated in her seat.
  • The incident caused a strong odor throughout the cabin, with other passengers complaining.
  • AirAsia confirmed the incident and stated that the crew provided a basic cleanup before landing.

An AirAsia flight from Kota Kinabalu to Shanghai was disrupted by a female passenger who allegedly defecated in her seat. The incident occurred on flight AK1516, which departed on August 18 and arrived in Shanghai Pudong International Airport on August 19. Passengers reported a strong, unpleasant odor filling the cabin, particularly as the plane prepared for landing. One passenger, Ms. Qi, who was seated in row 17, stated that while she did not directly witness the act due to the cabin lights being off for the night flight, she heard commotion from around row 30. An elderly woman later claimed responsibility, citing a physical issue. The smell, however, was noticeable even from row 17. A passenger seated next to the woman in question reported that flight attendants attempted to clean the area with tissues and sprayed air freshener, but the odor persisted. Due to the impending landing, the crew had to return to their seats, leaving the cleanup until after the aircraft landed. AirAsia confirmed the incident on August 21, stating that crew members discovered an "abnormal hygiene situation" in the aisle as the flight was preparing to land. They performed a "simple cleanup" with gloves and towels while prioritizing a safe landing. Upon arrival, the situation was reported to the captain and ground staff for further cleaning.

When the passenger plane was preparing to land, I heard noise from about 30 rows of seats in the cabin. Someone kept asking who had defecated.

โ€” Ms. QiDescribing the commotion and discovery of the incident on the flight.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.