Cathay Pacific prohibits couple following inflight argument over reclined seat.

The couple who had a dispute with a passenger who reclined her seat will never fly with Cathay Pacific again.

A Hong Kong-based airline prohibited a couple from flying after a video was released showing them making offensive gestures and disturbing a female passenger on a 14-hour flight from Hong Kong to London, according to local reports.

Cathay Pacific did not respond to CNBC's request for comment, but posted an apology on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, often referred to as China's Instagram, on Saturday.

The company has a zero-tolerance policy for any behavior that violates safety regulations or disrespects other passengers' rights, as stated in a translation by CNBC.

The woman who narrated parts of the video posted on the same platform stated that the couple harassed her after she refused to return her seat to the upright position.

In the video, she said she asked the flight attendants for help.

The woman in the video said that she was shocked because it was not meal time, but the flight attendant asked her to compromise, so she rejected the suggestion.

She alleged that the harassment intensified after the staff failed to intervene. The video showed that her chair was moved to another seat after being kicked and pushed from behind.

The two disruptive passengers received two "serious" verbal warnings from onboard staff, according to Cathay Pacific's statement.

The behavior of the unruly passenger escalated to the point where nearby passengers intervened. In the video, passengers can be heard saying: "Show some decency!" "Don't bully that little girl!" "You are bringing shame to our Hong Kongers."

A passenger who had been repeatedly banned referred to the reclining passenger as a "mainlander."

Online reactions

Although Cathay Pacific prohibited it, numerous mainland China social media users condemned the airline's initial reaction to the controversy.

Cathay attempted to rectify the situation only after other individuals spoke up. It's not surprising to me that Cathay is not welcoming to mainland travelers, as one top comment stated.

This incident reminded many mainland citizens of another scandal that occurred on Chinese social media last year, where the airline fired three flight attendants after a viral clip emerged of the crew mocking a non-English-speaking passenger who mistakenly used the word "carpet" when requesting a blanket.

In Hong Kong, some mainland Chinese allege mistreatment and feel discriminated against due to the locals' preference for Cantonese over Mandarin, the official Chinese dialect. Social media platforms, such as Xiaohongshu, are filled with such complaints.

The persistent problem between mainland China and Hong Kong stems from the economic and cultural differences between the two, with Hong Kong being a former British territory that was returned to China's rule in 1997.

The 2019-2020 Hong Kong protests intensified tensions, with some locals opposing Beijing's increasing control over the city.

The Chinese government's anger was directed at Cathay Pacific as well, following some of its staff's involvement in pro-democracy protests.

To recline or not to recline?

The act of reclining one's seat has become a contentious issue in air travel due to the increasing focus on airplane etiquette and the deteriorating onboard behavior.

Due to the growth in the size of passengers, seat pitches have decreased, resulting in conflicts over the limited space on airplanes, including armrests and the area beneath seats.

There is no agreement on whether passengers should be allowed to recline their seats.

While proponents argue that reclining seats are necessary, opponents view it as an inconsiderate act, full stop, when done in economy class.

The answer to whether it is acceptable to recline your seat on a flight depends on several factors, including the time of the flight, its duration, whether the passenger seat behind you can recline, and whether permission is obtained from the passenger first.