Flight Attendant Hits Back at Rude Passenger after He Made Her Colleague Cry: ‘I Am Not Your Servant’

By Allison Lewis
Published on 02/09/2025
Reviewed by Amy Mcleod

A Common Travel Experience Turns Unpleasant

Air travel is often the preferred way for people to cover long distances. It is considered the safest and most efficient form of transportation. Airlines try to make flights as comfortable as possible, offering meals, entertainment, and attentive service to ensure passengers have a pleasant experience. However, despite their best efforts, things can sometimes go wrong, leading to unexpected and stressful situations.

One such incident occurred on December 16, 2022, during IndiGo flight 6E 12. A disagreement between a flight attendant and a passenger quickly escalated, resulting in a heated argument that caught the attention of many onboard.

Trouble in the Air

During the flight, a male passenger asked for a meal that he had not pre-ordered before boarding. Airlines typically load a set number of meals based on passengers’ pre-flight requests, so the flight attendant calmly explained that they would check for availability. However, before she could finish speaking, the passenger became visibly upset.

Things took a turn for the worse when one of the crew members started crying. Seeing this, a female flight attendant decided to step in and address the situation. She approached the passenger and firmly told him to stop shouting and pointing his finger at them. But instead of calming down, the argument only grew more intense.

A Heated Exchange Caught on Camera

A fellow passenger recorded the altercation, and the video quickly spread online. In the footage, the female flight attendant stood her ground against the male passenger, who remained off-camera. Another crew member stood beside her, offering support.

At one point in the argument, the passenger interrupted the attendant and demanded, “Why are you yelling?”

She immediately responded, “Because you are yelling at us!”

Trying to reason with him, she continued, “I am so sorry, sir, but you do not talk to the crew like that. I am peacefully listening to you with all due respect, but you have to respect the crew as well.”

But the confrontation didn’t stop there. The passenger then demanded to know exactly how he had disrespected them. The flight attendant pointed out that he had been waving his finger in their faces and shouting. Tempers flared even more when the man yelled, “Shut up!” at the air stewardess.

Furious, she fired back, “You shut up! I’m sorry, you cannot talk to me like that… I’m an employee, I am not your servant.”

After making her stance clear, she pulled her mask back over her face and walked away, with her colleague following behind. Several passengers, who had been watching in disbelief, were left stunned by the unexpected argument.

IndiGo Airlines Responds

Following the incident, IndiGo Airlines released a statement explaining that the argument had started due to meal options available on the flight. The airline assured the public that they were committed to providing a smooth and respectful experience for passengers. They also stated that they would investigate the matter further.

A closer look at the video and media reports revealed that the disagreement stemmed from the passenger’s request for a sandwich. The crew had told him they would check for availability, but before they could do so, he became frustrated, leading to the tense exchange that left one crew member in tears.

As soon as the video was uploaded to Twitter, it quickly went viral, gathering over 4.5 million views and more than 17,000 likes. People had divided opinions on the matter, but many supported the flight attendant for standing up for herself and her fellow crew members. Here are some of the comments that flooded social media:

“Good for her for taking a stand and snapping at an obnoxious, entitled passenger.” — Kalvapalle, December 21, 2022

“The crew deserves equal respect.” — sumitsaurabh, December 21, 2022

“More power to the crew! They let this obnoxious, self-entitled man off too easy. So wish law enforcement was called to greet the ‘unruly passenger’ on landing. Baffling (sic).” — Ax_Sharma, December 22, 2022

“Respect for basic human dignity needs to be strongly emphasized. Regardless of the job and difference in the ‘social status’ it can’t be violated.” — PS_IAIOC, December 22, 2022

“She is absolutely right, she is not his servant. Well done, cabin crew!!!!!” — cardenthu24, December 21, 2022

However, not everyone agreed with the flight attendant’s actions. Some believed she should have handled the situation differently:

“The CC, however justified, is trained to de-escalate situations. Losing one’s temper in a customer-facing role is a no-no. She should have called the flight purser and if the pax was further disruptive, should have informed security before landing and put him on the no-fly.” — Upintheair380, December 21, 2022

“Shocking behaviour from the crew member, if she loses her cool with a passenger how can she be expected to handle an 8-9 hour flight? @IndiGo6E must seek an explanation from the air hostess & give her some training on how to handle her temper!” — DharRenuka, December 21, 2022

Tempers soaring even mid-air: "I am not your servant"

An @IndiGo6E crew and a passenger on an Istanbul flight to Delhi (a route which is being expanded soon with bigger planes in alliance with @TurkishAirlines ) on 16th December : pic.twitter.com/ZgaYcJ7vGv
— Tarun Shukla (@shukla_tarun) December 21, 2022

A Moment That Sparked a Bigger Conversation

The incident sparked discussions about respect, professionalism, and customer service in the airline industry. Many supported the flight attendant for refusing to tolerate mistreatment, while others argued that flight crew should always aim to de-escalate situations calmly.

Whatever the perspective, one thing is certain: this mid-air argument caught the world’s attention and left people questioning how passengers and airline staff should interact to ensure a more pleasant flying experience for everyone.