VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam Airlines on May 23 imposed a fine on the national taekwondo coach for alleged unruly behavior on a flight, but the martial art master refuses to pay up, saying security officers illegally beat him with electric batons.

Le Minh Khuong, who was fined VND2 million, said he will file a complaint with the Minister of Transport and even other higher government leaders.

The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam has concluded that after a two-week investigation that Khuong yelled at a flight attendant, refused to go back to his seat and put at risk the Vietnam Airlines flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on April 18.

After an argument with a flight attendant, Khuong was ejected from the flight in Da Nang. He has demanded an apology, saying he was roughed up by security officers and shocked with electric batons.

The 50-year-old coach has maintained that the carrier’s staff used undue violence against him.

On April 18, Khuong boarded a flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.

The pilots were forced to land their plane in Da Nang due to heavy rains. After the plane touched down at Da Nang Airport, Khuong says he asked the chief flight attendant for permission to exit the plane and take another flight, so he could attend to urgent business.

The chief flight attendant agreed and gave Khuong’s boarding pass to the airport’s ground services officers. After a while, the rain abated and Khuong was asked to return to his seat; the plane was about to take off.

Khuong says he followed instructions and asked the chief attendant to return his boarding pass.

When he was told it had been lost, Khuong says an argument ensued and the attendant summoned airport security officers to the plane to intervene.

Khuong said the officers shocked him with electric batons, twisted his arm behind his back and pressed his face against the floor.

Vietnam Airlines released a report after the incident, containing an entirely different version of the events. The report claimed that, upon landing in Da Nang, Khuong headed for the plane’s door and insisted on getting out, in spite of the captain’s instructions for the passengers to remain seated until the rain subsided, Thanh Nien reported.

The airline’s report claimed that the stewardesses said the plane would take off in 40 minutes and asked Khuong to return to his seat.

The airline further alleged that Khuong picked a fight with the crew members while the plane remained on the runway.

He demanded that they give him his boarding pass back, remained out of his seat and yelled at the flight attendants, according to the release.

After the captain taxied back to the terminal, Khuong was removed from the plane by security officers and handed over to Da Nang Airport authorities.

Source: Tuoi Tre