From The Irish Times

Crew member ordered off flight for serving macadamia nuts in a bag and not on a dish

Korean Air has apologised for inconveniencing passengers after the daughter of its chairman ordered a crew member off a flight for serving bagged nuts in first class.

The Korean Air Lines Co executive, whose dismay over the way she was served macadamia nuts led to a plane returning to its gate to expel the cabin crew chief, has stepped down as head of in-flight service, the airline has confirmed.

Korean Air apologised for Friday’s incident at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport in which Heather Cho, a vice president of the airline, took issue with a crew member for substandard service.

James Gallagher (28), of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft at Weir’s Jewellers, Dundrum Shopping Centre (above), and dangerous driving and driving without insurance on the M50 on September 25th, 2013. File photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times €26,000 Rolex stolen in Dundrum ‘thrown out’ window

However, Ms Cho, the 40-year-old daughter of the airline’s chairman, Cho Yang-ho, will remain a vice president with the South Korean flag carrier, the airline said late on Tuesday.

The flight from New York City to Incheon, South Korea, returned to the gate after Ms Cho told the head of cabin crew to leave the plane.

The incident aboard an Airbus A380 jumbo jet that had been pushed back from its gate bound for Incheon, near Seoul, provoked outrage in South Korea when it was reported on Monday.

“I am sorry to our customers and the Korean people that I unintentionally caused social uproar and I ask forgiveness from anyone who has been hurt by me,” a company official, speaking to Reuters by telephone, quoted Heather Cho as saying late on Tuesday.

“I take responsibility for the incident,” the official quoted her as saying.

The airline said late on Monday that although Ms Cho was responsible for supervising in-flight service, it was “excessive” that the plane was returned to the gate to expel a crew member in a non-emergency situation.

Ms Cho was seated in first-class when she took issue with a flight attendant who handed her macadamia nuts in a bag, not on a dish, according to an industry official briefed on the matter, who declined to be identified.

Ms Cho summoned the cabin crew chief to ask whether the flight attendant was following the in-flight service manual, and the crew chief could not answer promptly, the airline said.

Ms Cho “took issue with the cabin crew chief’s qualifications,” and the plane was returned by the pilot to its gate to expel the crew chief, the airline said.

The flight arrived in Incheon 11 minutes behind schedule.

South Korea’s transport ministry said on Monday it was investigating the incident.

Heather Cho is the oldest of Cho Yang-ho’s three children, who are all executives with the airline.

Reuters

IMAGE: IMAGE: Korean Air apologised for Friday’s incident at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport in which Heather Cho, a vice president of the airline, took issue with a crew member for serving nuts in a bag and not on a plate. File photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images

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