Nuts! South Korean flight delayed by CEO's daughter

Forget dust-ups over reclining seats in economy class. There's a new and exclusive twist on inflight anger: Nut rage in first class.

A recent Korean Air Lines flight was delayed when its chairman's daughter, who is also vice-president responsible for cabin service at the airline, ordered a senior crew member off the plane. The crime? Allowing passengers in the pointy end of the aircraft to be served bagged macadamia nuts instead of nuts on a plate.

The airline has apologized for inconveniencing passengers, but also excused the executive's behavior.

South Korean daily Segye Ilbo reported this week that the flight from New York to Incheon, South Korea, returned to the gate after Cho Hyun-ah told the head of the cabin crew to leave the plane. The report said Cho quarreled with crew in the first-class cabin and the flight departed 20 minutes late.

Cho, 40, is the oldest child of Korean Air's chairman, tycoon Cho Yang-ho. Her two siblings are also executives at South Korea's largest airline.

The incident caused uproar in South Korea, where it was seen as an example of over-mighty behavior by the offspring of the moneyed elite.

The South Korean economy is dominated by family-controlled conglomerates known as chaebol. Family members often wield greater influence over major companies than shareholders and executives with no blood ties to the founding family. The Cho family own about 10 percent of Korean Air Lines, part of a business empire than spans the travel, logistics, hotel and leisure industries.

Korean Air Lines confirmed that Flight 86 was delayed at John F. Kennedy airport on Dec 5 due to the nut incident. But the company said the decision to disembark the crew member was made by the flight's captain.

South Korea's government said it is investigating whether Cho violated aviation safety law. Cho could face legal action if the probe shows that she interrupted the flight or endangered safety by using threats, her status or violence.

Korean Air Lines said on Tuesday it was "natural" for Cho to fault the crew's ignorance of procedures.

Cabin crew are required to ask first class passengers whether they want nuts, partly to avoid serving them to people with allergies. The nuts also should have been served on a plate.

The airline said it will step up training to improve customer service and safety.

Cho resigned late on Tuesday after being widely criticized.

People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, a civic group, said it would file a complaint against Cho with prosecutors.

"The anger and the concern from the public were so big because safety and procedures related to important services were simply ignored" due to Cho's status, the group said.

AP - Reuters