Drunk foreign passenger removed from CAL flight after harassment: APB

Taipei, Aug. 12 (CNA) A drunk foreign national was removed from a China Airlines (CAL) flight bound for Amsterdam early Wednesday after he harassed a female passenger seated next to him while the plane was preparing to take off, according to the Aviation Police Bureau (APB).

CAL flight CI73 was taxiing for departure from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport late Tuesday night when a male passenger began harassing the woman seated beside him.

The flight's chief purser notified the pilot, who decided to return to the gate and request police assistance.

Hsu Keng-hsin (許庚辛), a section commander of the APB's first squad, said police received a report from CAL at midnight that a foreign male passenger had caused a disturbance while the aircraft was taxiing.

Officers escorted the young man off the plane and processed his departure clearance cancellation. The passenger cooperated with police and did not cause any further trouble, said Hsu, who did not provide any further details on the passenger's identity.

The female passenger told police she did not wish to press charges.

After the issue was resolved, the flight pulled out of the gate at Taoyuan International Airport at 1 a.m. and took off at 1:19 a.m., about two hours after its scheduled departure time, according to flight tracking website Flight Aware.

It arrived at its gate in Amsterdam at 9:17 a.m., one hour and 37 minutes late.

CAL said it takes disruptive and inappropriate behavior seriously and followed standard procedures by immediately notifying aviation police.

The airline said aviation safety and security are its top priorities and that it maintains zero tolerance for disruptive or irrational behavior on board.