Nut rage incident facts for kids
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HL7627, the aircraft involved in the incident
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| Occurrence summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | December 5, 2014 |
| Summary | Air rage incident |
| Place | John F. Kennedy Airport, New York |
| Passengers | 250 |
| Aircraft type | Airbus A380 |
| Airline/user | Korean Air |
| Registration | HL7627 |
| Flew from | John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, United States |
| Flying to | Incheon International Airport, South Korea |
The nut rage incident was a famous event that happened on December 5, 2014. It took place on Korean Air Flight 086 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. Korean Air vice president Heather Cho was unhappy with how a flight attendant served nuts. She then ordered the plane to go back to the gate before it could take off.
First-class passengers, including Cho, received nuts in their original bags. This was normal for the airline. However, Cho expected the nuts to be served on a plate. She questioned the cabin crew chief about the serving rules. After a strong disagreement, Cho acted aggressively towards him. She then told him to leave the plane. This made the flight return to the gate and caused a delay of about 20 minutes.
When people found out about the incident, many criticized Cho and Korean Air. After this, Cho resigned from one of her important jobs at Korean Air. A court in South Korea later found her guilty of breaking aviation safety rules. She was given a sentence and spent some time in custody. The flight attendant and cabin crew chief returned to their jobs by April 2016.
Contents
The Incident and Its Report
On December 5, 2014, Heather Cho boarded Korean Air Flight 086. She was the daughter of the Korean Air chairman. The flight was at John F. Kennedy International Airport and was going to Incheon International Airport in Seoul. Before the plane took off, she was given macadamia nuts in a closed bag.
When she got the nuts in a bag, Cho spoke harshly to flight attendant Kim Do-hee. She then called over cabin crew chief Park Chang-jin to complain. It was said that Cho made the chief kneel down and ask for forgiveness. Cho also hit Park's hand with a digital tablet. She then told him to leave the plane right away. This made the plane go back to the airport gate. The incident delayed the flight for about 20 minutes. There were 250 people on board.
Korean Air apologized to the passengers for the trouble. However, they tried to say that Cho's actions were part of her job. They said she was checking the service and safety on the plane. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport started looking into the case. A passenger who saw what happened contacted the airline. She received a model airplane and a calendar as an apology.
Legal Actions
Court Case
On January 12, 2015, documents from Cho's case were made public. These papers showed that macadamia nuts were supposed to be served in a bag. This was according to the airline's rules. Cho had been told about this rule. The reason she gave for firing the cabin crew chief was that he had not told her earlier.
The court case began on January 19 in Seoul. Cho said she was not guilty of the charges. Cho's father appeared in court and said the chief could still work without problems. The chief did not come to court, even though he was called. The flight attendant who served the nuts did appear. She said that Cho had pushed her and made her kneel. She also said she was offered a teaching job at a college linked to Korean Air.
On February 12, 2015, Cho was given a one-year prison sentence. This was for breaking aviation safety rules. The court said she was guilty of changing the flight plan. This offense can lead to up to ten years in prison.
On May 22, 2015, a higher court in Seoul found her not guilty of changing the plane's route. Her sentence was reduced to 10 months, but she did not have to serve it if she stayed out of trouble for two years. She was released right away, having spent five months in custody.
Other Lawsuits
The flight attendant, Kim Do-hee, and the cabin crew chief, Park Chang-jin, filed a lawsuit in New York in March 2015. They sued Cho and the airline. They wanted money for the verbal and physical harm they said Cho caused. Kim also said the airline pressured her to lie to investigators. She also said they wanted her to appear with Cho to help improve Cho's public image. Both of these cases were later dismissed. This was because all people involved and evidence were in South Korea.
In a separate lawsuit, a court in Seoul ordered Korean Air to pay the flight attendant about 18,000 USD. This was for trying to make him drop the case. He was also given about 27,000 USD as payment for Cho's actions and insults.
What Happened After
More Macadamia Sales
Sales of macadamia nuts in South Korea went up a lot after the incident. They rose by almost 250 percent.
TV Shows and Parodies
On December 14 and 28, a Korean comedy show called Gag Concert made fun of the incident. A singer named Kang Kyun-sung became popular for copying Cho's facial expressions from her court trial. A South Korean drama called Persevere, Goo Hae-Ra also filmed a funny version of the incident. However, it was not shown on TV. Some people thought powerful family businesses might have stopped it. But the show's creators said this was not true.
Gapjil
The incident helped make a new Korean word popular: Gapjil. This word describes the proud and bossy actions of people who have power over others.
Images for kids
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Macadamia nuts in a bowl
