EVA Air Passenger Uses Drinking Glass to Scratch Scalp, Horrifying Fellow Travelers

Key points

• The incident took place on September 24 aboard an EVA Air Boeing 787 Dreamliner departing from Taiwan.
• A business-class passenger used the rim of an inverted drinking glass to scratch his scalp repeatedly, as captured on video by a fellow passenger.
• The witness, who recorded the footage, expressed disgust and stated that the behavior made him nauseous, specifically mentioning concerns about dandruff.
• Etiquette expert Diane Gottsman commented that using objects to scratch oneself in public is inappropriate and alarming, emphasizing the need for awareness of others in shared spaces.
• The flight arrived safely, and no official statement or disciplinary action from EVA Air was reported in the source material.

Background

This incident adds to a series of recent in-flight behavioral complaints reported in 2026, including a passenger stripping naked on an American Airlines flight in September and a mid-flight brawl on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines route. These events highlight ongoing tensions regarding passenger conduct and etiquette in confined air travel environments.

Why it matters

The incident underscores the sensitivity of shared public spaces, particularly in premium airline cabins where passengers expect a certain standard of hygiene and decorum. Viral footage of such behavior can significantly impact airline reputations and prompt broader discussions about in-flight etiquette and passenger responsibility.

What to watch

No further developments are reported in the available sources. It is unclear whether EVA Air issued a statement or if the passenger faced any consequences, as the flight landed safely and no official response was cited.