Air rage and updating the Tokyo Convention

摘要

Following the infamous "Nutgate" incident that recently dominated aviation headlines, governments and airlines will likely welcome amendments to the Tokyo Convention once they come into force. The Nutgate incident involved Ms Cho Hy-ah the daughter of Korean Air's chief executive and also (former) head of the airline's inflight services, who was a passenger aboard a Korean Air flight on 5 December 2014, from New York JFK to Seoul Incheon airports. As the aircraft taxied towards the runway, Ms Cho and other first class passengers were served macadamia nuts in their original packaging. Although this service conformed to the airline's procedures, Ms Cho had expected the nuts to be served on a plate and questioned the cabin crew chief. During a heated ex- : change, Ms Cho allegedly : made a cabin crew mem- : ber kneel and beg for forgiveness, repeatedly jabbing him with a services manual, before dismissing him on the spot and ordering his removal from the aircraft. The aircraft was forced to return to the gate and delayed by twenty minutes, while the cabin crew member voluntarily disembarked and returned to Seoul on a different flight.