Insisting on Overhead Storage Space: Passenger Damages Cathay Pacific A350 Ceiling

▲ Overhead storage space in the A350 cabin. (Photo / Illustration, taken by reporter Chen Rui-zhong)

Reporter Chen Rui-zhong / Comprehensive report

On a Cathay Pacific A350 flight from Hong Kong to Bangkok, a passenger forcibly removed part of the aircraft’s “ceiling” in an attempt to store luggage, not only causing damage to the plane but also delaying the flight by three hours and affecting the travel plans of 280 passengers.

The incident occurred on the 20th of this month, involving flight CX705, which was originally scheduled to depart at 8:15 AM.The A350 cabin features a new design, with overhead storage space not available in certain areas. However, the passenger did not believe this and refused to listen to the cabin crew’s explanation. In an effort to place their luggage, they forcefully pulled at the ceiling, resulting in damage to the overhead panel.The aircraft took off again at 11:24 AM the same day after repairs were completed, more than three hours behind schedule.

▲ The A350 is a new aircraft type that Cathay Pacific just began using on June 1.

Cathay Pacific officially put the A350 into service on June 1. Currently, the airline has taken delivery of two A350s and is the first carrier to have used the A350 for flights to Taiwan. According to data from Airbus, each A350 aircraft costs over 300 million US dollars, approximately NT$10 billion. Airlines such as Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines all operate the A350 for passenger services.

Cathay Pacific later issued a statement saying that the aircraft had been repaired and returned to service, and apologized for the inconvenience caused to passengers due to the incident.