iPhone 6 dropped on plane, VIP passenger slapped flight attendant

While searching for his iPhone 6 Plus that had fallen under his seat on an airplane, a male Business Class passenger (VIP) slapped a Vietnam Airlines flight attendant. The incident happened on August 13, on flight VN255 from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.

On the evening of August 13, flight VN255 from Hanoi landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport - Ho Chi Minh City, the passenger who assaulted a crew member was named Mai Thanh. B. (46 years old, residing in Thu Duc district - Ho Chi Minh City).

According to the CTT flight attendant's report, when the plane landed, passenger Mai Thanh.B., who had a Business Class ticket and was sitting in seat 2H, called the flight attendant to report that her iPhone 6 Plus was missing and said that the phone had been placed on the dining table.

Flight attendant serving Business Class passengers (illustrative photo)

The CTT flight attendant said that when she set the table for the guests, she did not see the phone. When the CTT flight attendant and the head flight attendant were flipping the seat cushions to look for it, Mr. Mai Thanh.B. said there was no need to look anymore and suddenly slapped the CTT flight attendant hard on the left cheek.

After being slapped by a customer, the CTT flight attendant painfully covered her face and ran into the kitchen and was given ice packs by her colleagues. At this time, the head flight attendant protested against Mr. Mai Thanh.B.'s actions, saying, "You hit a flight attendant," but Mr. Mai Thanh.B. loudly said, "I will take full responsibility."

The crew of flight VN255 made a record of the incident and handed it over to the competent authority for resolution. At the Southern Airport Authority, Mr. Mai Thanh.B. admitted that he slapped the flight attendant because he could not control his anger when his phone was lost.

“I left my phone on the dining table, after eating, I left it on the table and fell asleep. When the plane landed, I woke up and couldn’t find my phone. I rearranged the chairs to look for it, and searched the floor but couldn’t find it. I used another phone to call the lost iPhone, the first 3 calls still rang, the 4th call didn’t ring, and the 5th and 6th calls rang again,” Mr. Mai Thanh.B explained.

According to this VIP guest, he suspected the flight attendant of taking his phone. After asking "did you take my phone?" and hearing the flight attendant say she didn't see it, he couldn't control himself and slapped the flight attendant.

It is known that about 20 minutes after the incident, when the passengers had gotten off the plane, a flight attendant found an iPhone 6 Plus under the seat of passenger Mai Thanh.B.

Pursuant to Article 27 of Decree No. 147/2013/ND-CP dated October 30, 2013 of the Government on handling administrative violations in the field of civil aviation, the Southern Airports Authority decided to administratively fine Mr. Mai Thanh.B. 15 million VND for assaulting a flight crew member.

According to Dan Tri