Passenger with cigarette gives version of events

A male passenger accused of slapping a female airline employee has filed a complaint with police, saying he was the one struck in the face and not the other way around, adding the incident was misinterpreted by local media.

According to the Cyprus News Agency, a man accused of striking a flight attendant over a cigarette incident is speaking out, giving different details over the incident while his lawyer is calling for review of security camera footage to show his client was the victim of an unprovoked attack.

“I have filed an official complaint with Larnaca police regarding an airline employee who hit me in the face and caused me to have bruises and small lacerations,” the man said.

Local media reported earlier this week that a stewardess on a flight from London was slapped in the face on the steps outside the aircraft and got an earful from a passenger, who lit a cigarette as he was disembarking the aircraft at Larnaca airport shortly after midnight.

“People who hit women, children, animals, men… can’t be called human… they are psychotic,” she told a local network.

The woman also wrote on social media, according to SigmaLive, that “We are not police officers! We are flight attendants! Some things are common sense. We don’t tolerate violence from anyone! Nobody has the right to hit us! Not even talk to us and curse at the same time! Shame! When we say smoking is not allowed because there is a risk of combustion on the aircraft, you simply say I apologize and get rid of it. But it didn’t happen so the cigarette was thrown on the ground, there was slapping and cursing and use of violence. I’m truly sad that such a people exist… worst of all animals is man,” a quote read attributed to the woman who wished to remain anonymous.

The woman, later described by police based on updated information as a member of ground crew at the airport, was purported to have grabbed the cigarette out of the man’s mouth and put it out, with the man allegedly slapping her in the face, giving her an earful, and then lighting up a second cigaretee.

But the passenger says none of that took place, telling CNA in a statement that he was struck by an airport employee some 15 meters from a PCR testing station.

“I had a cigarette in my mouth but it was unlit,” he said.

“When an airport employee, a foreign woman who came over from the side, laid her hand on me, I pushed her away and left,” he said.

Police previously told Knews that no smoking rules had been violated in accordance with aviation regulations, but a violation of a smoking ordinance was part of other charges against him including common assault and causing a public disturbance.

The man has also filed a complaint against the woman, accusing her of assault.

Both individuals wished to remain anonymous according to local media.