Two Pakistan International Airlines flight attendants slated to work a Boeing 777 trip on PK840 from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Multan, Pakistan on December 23 got into a fight in the departure lounge prior to boarding. What started as a heated exchange of words escalated into a scuffle, though eventually an airline official intervened and separated them.
In video of the incident, two women wearing the airline’s cabin crew uniform are standing face-to-face. A mustached man in a dark suit stands nearby, trying to mediate between them.
The flight attendant on the left steps in. Her hands go up and they start grabbing at each other’s hands. The tussle intensifies as both women’s arms lock together.
At least one additional person (including a seated bystander in a green headscarf) appears to help keep them apart. They’re momentarily more separated, standing again with the mediator between them, but they re-engage. Then they’re pulled farther apart.
There’s discussion of ‘work issues’ triggering the dispute, and swearing and abusive language between them.
The flight ultimately departed 2 hours and 19 minutes late. Both flight attendants were suspended.
Pakistan International Airlines is best known for sacrificing a goat for safety and flying with more passengers than seats (and making customers stand for 1700 miles). The airline’s former CEO was actually detained as a result of his efforts to provide good seats and service by wet leasing aircraft from SriLankan.
Usually their flight attendants are just in the news for vanishing as soon as they’re off the Toronto flight, because they don’t want to return to Pakistan.
It’s not only Spirit Airlines, and not only U.S. flights, where civility is on the decline.
Probably arguing at which destination would they run away.
I mean, if given the choice, I’d take battling flight attendants on Pakistan International Airlines any day over the bathrooms and literal poop in the aisle this is a common occurance on Air India. lol
Yaya…Cat Fight
PIA is one airline that no-one with a whit of sanity would ever fly.
They would be a nice addition to Sky Team
@Mike — Could you remind @L737 and I of your escapades in Argentina?
Maybe a goat is not enough.
@1990 @Mike — Bah! Yes, I need to decide whether or not to “cry for me, Argentina”…
@L737 — I may shed a few tears preemptively, just in case!
Oh it’s definitely the one in the sunglasses. She’s radiating that ‘I only got this job because my cousin’s friend’s uncle knows somebody, so I’m gonna act completely untouchable’ energy. You can see the entitlement from space.
@Woofie..you state:
“PIA is one airline that no-one with a whit of sanity would ever fly.”-
Why is that?
@Tim:
Given they already do a lot of code sharing, etc. with TK, my guess is PK would probably be in Star before Skyteam.
These two Pakistan International Airlines flight attendants are probably qualified to be a UFC/MMA fight referee during the weekly Spirit Airlines gate fights found at many popular Florida airport locations. According to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, a fight referee assumes a significant amount of responsibilities during the match. A referee determines when to start or stop the match, tells both fighters about the rules of the bout, determines fouls, both accidental and intentional, and when to call a stoppage. With some cross training, a flight attendant could earn significant additional income as a fight attendant.
big difference. This was two PIA cabin service people and on the ground. In the USA it is usually fare paying passengers that sometime come to blows on the aircraft. Incidents are way too high on US aircraft. You cannot compare the two.
PIA was correct to suspend the two F/As. In the US anyone not following crew directions should be eligible for a Federal civil penalty as well as placed on a central no fly list.