What was supposed to be a peaceful flight on AirAsia X turned into mid-air chaos when a man asked a group of women to quiet down and told them to “shut up”.
The incident happened on July 21 aboard AirAsia X Flight D7326 from Kuala Lumpur to Chengdu, China. The flight had just taken off around 10pm when the man, seated in front of the group, asked them to lower their voices as he wanted to sleep.
Instead of calming down, the situation escalated quickly. The man reportedly called the women “stupid” and told them to “shut up”, which sparked a shouting match that turned physical.
Flight attendants were seen intervening as the exchange escalated into a scuffle.
Fight on AirAsia X Flight Caught on Camera
AirAsia passengers clashed after a man confronted women for talking loudly after cabin lights dimmed.
He repeatedly asked them to quiet down during the four-hour flight.
When they didn’t, a fight broke out midair. pic.twitter.com/4DJYqZl63k
— Ashwini Roopesh (@AshwiniRoopesh) July 23, 2025
Videos posted online show one of the women climbing over her seat, leaning towards the man, pulling at what looks like a lanyard he is wearing, and then swinging at him with her fist.
Another woman rises from her seat, sneaks past a flight attendant, and also starts pounding on the man. An attendant wraps her arms around the woman’s waist and tries to pull her away.
The man tugs at the head of one of the women punching him, and tries to parry the blows coming his way.
At least two men who appear to be with the women can be seen joining in the fray.
Police Waiting at Arrival Gate
AirAsia X confirmed that an “altercation” took place and said their cabin crew acted swiftly and professionally.
Upon landing in Chengdu, local police boarded the aircraft. According to reports, five passengers were arrested, and two were fined.
One passenger told the New York Post that while the women were indeed loud, the man’s tone was also “quite aggressive”.
Netizens React
The incident sparked plenty of online discussion. Some joked about the scene, while others were more serious.
“People are losing civic sense and becoming monsters,” one person commented. Another said that passengers who behave like this should be banned from flying for life.
AirAsia X reminded travellers to be respectful to others and stated that they have a zero-tolerance policy for any behaviour that disrupts the comfort and safety of a flight.
