Deja vu ? Yesterday 's news ? Nope , it 's just another series of air dramas involving disruptive Chinese air travelers . It has n't been the most peaceful fortnight in the aviation industry -- we 've seen the aftermath of a Korean Air exec 's `` nut rage '' and R & B singer Jeremih arrested for attempting to force open a closed airplane door after missing the last call for boarding . In the midst of this unruly behavior have come no fewer than four inflight dramas involving Chinese tourists . On the heels of a `` Gim me my cup noodle water ! '' meltdown and two emergency exit incidents , a bizarre fight between multiple passengers broke out over a dispute involving a crying baby . The poor kid probably just could n't get any sleep with all the fuss going on . Hot water throw down . The fortnight of infamy was highlighted by the cup noodle row heard 'round the world -- or at least across Asia . On December 11 , four tourists threw a series of tantrums on an Air Asia flight from Bangkok to Nanjing . The episode began during takeoff when , observing safety rules , cabin staff refused to serve hot water to a couple who wanted to immediately get going on their cup noodle . The couple retaliated by crushing nuts on the floor . The man , Wang , was allegedly still fuming when a flight attendant for the budget airline brought him a cup of hot water after the plane reached cruising altitude , then attempted to charge him 60 Thai baht ( $ 2 ) for the water . `` You think I ca n't afford it ? '' Wang demanded , using the word `` laozi , '' a pompous way of referring to one 's self as a boss or superior . A video captured Wang yelling at the attendant . As the quarrel dragged on , the man 's girlfriend , Zhang , threw hot water on the back of the flight attendant . Thai authorities eventually ordered Zhang to pay 50,000 baht ( $ 1,500 ) to the flight attendant . Each passenger involved in the incident was fined amounts between $ 3 and $ 6 . Chinese government not amused . The China National Tourism Administration issued a stern statement after the Air Asia episode , saying it had `` severely damaged the overall image of Chinese people '' and demanding local authorities review the case . Air rage is a common sight in delay-prone China . In recent years , state media has reported numerous dramatic incidents involving irate passengers , ranging from blocking moving aircraft on an active runway to fistfights with airport employees . During an official visit to the Maldives in September , President Xi Jinping personally asked Chinese tourists to behave themselves while traveling abroad . Last year the government released a lengthy list of do 's and don'ts aimed at turning Chinese travelers into `` civilized tourists . '' All the warnings and cajoling seem to have fallen on deaf ears , though . Quickest way off a plane ? Emergency exit ! Impatient or lacking fresh air or ... something ... Chinese passengers in separate incidents in the past two weeks decided to deal with their `` stuck on a plane '' dilemmas in unexpected fashion . Upon landing in Sanya on December 8 after a China Eastern flight from Xi'an , a fidgety passenger not content to suffer through the excruciating disembarkation process -- Do n't judge ! We 've all been there ! -- went ahead and opened the emergency exit door , engaging the aircraft 's inflatable slide . Xinhua news agency said the reason for the man 's action was unknown , but The Nanfang website from southern China reported that the passenger said he simply wanted to depart the plane sooner . His solution , to borrow loosely from Jane Austen , did display a certain amount of sense , if not sensibility . Regardless , the shortcut cost the airline $ 16,000 and a two-hour delay , according to Xinhua . That unauthorized exit was followed by an incident on December 14 during which a first-time flier on a Xiamen Air flight reportedly felt the urge for some fresh air while waiting for his plane to take off . His fix ? Open the emergency door for better ventilation . The man was n't fined or punished because the act did n't cause any damage , stated the airline . Baby mama drama . Calm in the skies reigned for three entire days before being shattered on Thursday when a minor brawl broke out on an Air China flight from Chongqing to Hong Kong . The imbroglio began when a pair of passengers complained about the crying baby seated behind them . The child 's mother , meanwhile , spared no words in expressing her own displeasure with the people in front reclining their seats into her space . Unable to compromise , the quarrel escalated into a full-on fight . A photo in which one woman appears ready to slap another woman -- who herself seems to be floating almost perpendicular to the floor of the aircraft , perhaps readying to deliver an unorthodox blow of her own -- quickly circulated online . `` A group brawl above 7,500 meters . Our plane was almost turned around , '' wrote a passenger who shared the incident and picture on Weibo , China 's Twitter . The plane was n't diverted , though Hong Kong police were called in to keep everyone calm and carrying on once the plane landed . Meanwhile , no air rage incidents have been reported for 24 hours ... and counting ...
Past two weeks have seen news coverage of four separate incidents of Chinese people misbehaving on planes . A couple , after throwing a series of punches , threw hot water at a flight attendant . Emergency exits were opened in two separate incidents for different reasons . A mini - brawl was touched off by a crying passenger and reclining passengers .