AirAsia ground staff fired after discrimination complaint by mainland passenger

An AirAsia ground staff member in Hong Kong was dismissed after a mainland Chinese passenger accused him of discrimination and rude behavior at Hong Kong International Airport.

The incident drew widespread attention online after the passenger posted a video on social media claiming she was treated rudely while boarding AirAsia flight AK137 from Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur.

In the video, the woman alleged that the staff member publicly shouted that he was “not Chinese” and made remarks about passengers speaking Mandarin. She accused the airline of allowing discriminatory behavior by employing such staff.

AirAsia said it had taken the complaint seriously and launched an investigation after becoming aware of the incident, which occurred on March 5.

According to the airline, the passenger initially said she felt unwell and requested to cancel her trip and retrieve her luggage, while her companion chose to continue the journey. She later said she felt better and decided to resume the trip.

The airline said its ground staff arranged for her to board the flight last after assessing her condition. However, one staff member used inappropriate language during the exchange, leading to the dispute.

AirAsia said the staff member involved worked for a ground handling agency contracted by the airline at Hong Kong International Airport. The agency has since dismissed the employee following its investigation.