The defendants (inset, top) walk to the Tsuen Wan magistrate's court. Irate passengers (inset, bottom) taunt airline staff after their flight to Beijing was delayed. Photos: Reuters, tvb.com, internet
Mainland passengers in boarding gate scuffle jailed
Four mainlanders who attacked airline ground staff during a scuffle outside a boarding gate have been given jail sentences.
They had pleaded guilty to common assault, Apple Daily reports.
A Tsuen Wan magistrate’s court sentenced them to nine to 11 days in jail. Another defendant was fined and a sixth is free on bail.
The case stemmed from a July 27 incident when angry passengers caused a commotion after their Hong Kong Airlines flight to Beijing was delayed.
They said they had been kept waiting for four hours inside the aircraft with the air-conditioning off before they were allowed to return to the departure area.
It took another four hours before they got any signs that their wait was over, they said.
Some demanded proper accommodation.
A scuffle broke out when a ground crew tried to stop a passenger from breaking into an aerobridge after an argument with an airline staff.
Seven employees were injured.
Acting principal magistrate Cheang Kei-hong called the defendants’ behavior “uncivilized”, adding it is the duty of the ground crew to secure restricted areas.
A 21-year-old student, surnamed Li, pleaded guilty to one count of causing a nuisance and was fined HK$1,500.
And a 39-year-old housewife, surnamed Zhao, pleaded not guilty and was granted HK$100,000 bail, pending a hearing in September.
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