On the night of Sept. 28, a China Eastern flight from Hefei to Dalian was disrupted when a flight attendant accidentally brushed a sleeping passenger’s elbow with a food cart, The Paper reported. The attendant apologized and the purser gave an ice pack, but the passenger refused the apology, berated her, threatened to kick her and insisted she accompany him to the hospital after landing, China Daily reported. Intimidated, the relatively inexperienced attendant knelt two or three times to apologize.

China Eastern said it reported the incident to police on Oct. 3 and announced that it would no longer provide transportation services to the passenger, South China Morning Post reported.

Security officers eventually restored order, and after the aircraft landed, medical personnel examined the passenger and found no visible injuries.

Chinese civil aviation regulations forbid passengers from verbally abusing, assaulting or causing disturbances to crew members on board.

Flight attendants’ annual performance scores can gain or lose points based on passenger feedback. Beijing Daily quoted a veteran flight attendant who said a single complaint could affect an employee’s yearly assessment.

The case has ignited discussion across China about the pressure flight crews face from passenger complaints and whether current rules adequately protect staff while influencing career advancement.