Flight Attendant Speaks Out on ‘Nutgate’ as Transport Ministry Mulls Heavy Sanctions Against Korean Air
Joe Cortez December 16, 2014
Flight attendant caught in the center of the Korean Air “Nutgate” scandal speaks out, saying he felt “insulted and shamed” after the incident which has led to heavy sanctions for the airline.
The flight attendant in the middle of the Korean Air “Nutgate” scandal is telling his side of the story after being forced off a flight over nut service. AP reports flight attendant Park Chang-jin told South Korean media that he felt “insulted and shamed” by the airline’s executive, who ordered him off the flight he was working.
The situation unfolded on Korean Air Flight 86 from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) on December 5. According to AP, Korean Air executive Cho Hyun-ah was flying in the first class cabin when she was served bagged macadamia nuts instead of nuts on a plate.
According to Park’s account of the situation, Cho told the crew to call and stop the plane on her orders. Cho then allegedly also forced Park and his colleague to kneel before her during her complaint, during which she repeatedly jabbed at him with a flight manual book. Park also claims that officials for the airline tried to convince him to tell a different version of the story, in which he voluntarily left the airplane.
Park’s account of the incident contradicts a previous account by Korean Air. Over the weekend, The Guardian reported Cho offered a public apology to the flight attendant and formally resigned from her position as head of cabin service. The airline has not issued any additional details or comments, citing a pending investigation by South Korea’s Transport Ministry.
During a separate press event, Cho’s father and chairman of Korean Air, Cho Yang-ho, offered a formal apology on behalf of the company. “It’s my fault,” the elder Cho stated. “As chairman and father, I ask for the public’s generous forgiveness.”
On Tuesday, South Korea’s Transport Ministry announced that Korean Air will face heavy sanctions for pressuring its employees to lie during the government’s probe into the incident. The ministry also announced it plans to investigate the airline’s corporate culture, which it believes could potentially pose safety risks. Korean Air faces flight suspensions of up to 21 days and $1.3 million in fines.
[Photo: Reuters/Song Eun-seok]
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Aye, hang her from the yards!!
@Myopia: Do you work for KL or did you loose contact to todays world? Why should a b--ch like that get a break? Making other employees kneeling in front of a superior employee? What time does that woman live? Does she think she is some sort of Royalty?
Pressuring employees to lie during a goverment probe? That reveals a corporate culture of bullying that finally lead to the incident described. And I'm pretty sure that this incident is probably harmless in comparison to other daily incidents of the same nature. Heavy fines and sanctions are a first step to changing this culture.
Someone give Cho Hyun-ah a break!!!!!!! And now, my hashtag rant. #honorarykorean #hatersgonnahate, #istillflyKAL #icheonbound #skypassloyalty #lifeplaysforkeeps #kdrama #irl #lifegoeson #shestillballinthough #reportrealnewsplease #wwJd