Chinese passenger fined for threatening Vietnam Airlines crewmember

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Vietnam’s aviation authority has decided to fine a Chinese passenger for insulting and threatening a crewmember on a Vietnam Airlines flight from Beijing to Hanoi.

The fine for Liu Jun, 48, was VND7.5 million ($330).

The in-flight incident happened on February 1. Liu, who had an economy ticket, left his seat and asked a crewmember to move him to business class. As the crewmember denied his request, the passenger reportedly shouted, insulted and threatened to beat the crewmember, whose identity has not been disclosed.

Liu also threatened two other passengers who tried to calm him down.

He was fined after the plane landed at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi.

China is one of the most important feeder markets for Vietnam's tourism industry.

Arrivals from China in January increased 67.9 percent from a year ago to 247,621 visitors, accounting for a quarter of Vietnam’s total international tourist number, according to the General Statistics Office.

The number of Chinese tourists hit 2.5 million last year, out of the total 10 million visitors, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

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