A passenger dispute over unassigned seating on an AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, October 25, 2026, escalated into a cabin confrontation that forced the airline to deplane all travelers and delay departure, detikTravel reported. The incident that occurred on October 25, 2026, resulted in all airplane passengers having to get off, and the flight could not take off on time.
The Seating Disagreement and Cabin Escalation
The incident began when a female tourist from China noticed an empty seat next to her husband and occupied it without paying the mandatory seat-selection fee, according to Sin Chew Daily. AirAsia policy requires passengers to pay an extra fee to select specific seats during booking, online check-in, or via the AirAsia MOVE app up to two hours before departure, or at airport counters up to four hours prior. According to the AirAsia website, passengers must pay a fee if they choose seats when purchasing tickets, during online check-in, or at airport counters.
AirAsia X- Kuala Lumpur to London Gatwick- With a stop over at Bahrain- From 26 June 2026- Daily flight via A330-300 aircraftPassengers can buy direct KL to London under 1 ticket or separate tickets KL to Bahrain then later flying to London via Bahrain (vice versa) pic.twitter.com/gxIMeExZU0
When cabin crew checked the manifest, they discovered the passenger’s actual ticketed seat did not match the empty space she had taken, as reported by AsiaOne. Crew members asked her to return to her assigned seat or pay the upgrade fee. The passenger refused, arguing that the seat was empty and questioning whether sitting there violated any rules.
Involvement of Traveling Companions
The argument quickly drew in a larger group of six travelers associated with the couple. Members of the party raised their voices, demanding to know why six people traveling together should incur extra charges just to sit near one another. However, the couple apparently refused and caused a disturbance inside the aircraft. As the confrontation grew more heated, one member of the traveling group turned to surrounding passengers and shouted in Mandarin, asking if they were Chinese and if they understood what was happening, as detailed by China Press.
The disruption brought pre-flight preparations to a complete halt. Because the cabin crew could not restore order, they requested assistance from airport security personnel.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date of Incident | October 25, 2026 |
| Airline | AirAsia |
| Departure Point | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Core Issue | Unpaid seat selection / Seating rearrangement |
Airline Intervention and Flight Disruption
Faced with a situation that became increasingly difficult to control, AirAsia management took the decision to have all passengers disembark from the aircraft. The disruption meant the flight could not depart on schedule. Neither the exact duration of the delay nor the final travel status of the tourist party has been officially confirmed by the airline.
/data/photo/2022/07/30/62e4f84dac1fa.jpg "Photo: Kompas")
