A Qatar Airways flight turned chaotic when a passenger allegedly pulled a knife on a fellow traveler during a 14-hour journey, according to viral social media posts detailing the incident, as reported by The New York Post.
Essie, a travel influencer, documented the ordeal in a three-part TikTok series that has since attracted millions of views.
She said the confrontation began when the elderly passenger seated beside her repeatedly leaned across her seat, rested on her lap, and poked her with bare feet.
After multiple polite requests to stop, Essie said she alerted a flight attendant for assistance. Rather than resolving the issue, the confrontation escalated.
“I’m taking this knife hold as a threat,” she wrote in a caption on one of her videos, noting that the passenger brandished the blade after the crew intervened.
Knife-wielding boomer turned my flight into a horror movie: ‘Never flying economy again’ https://t.co/7jIPSXKiXx #OKboomer pic.twitter.com/riBzUfd0HC
— North Avenue Trade School (@DrGeorgeBurdell) September 19, 2025
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Essie described the incident as “a horror movie” and said it was becoming difficult not to push the passenger away. Footage shows the woman grabbing at Essie’s body and belongings with her hands and feet.
The tense situation de-escalated somewhat when the man sitting on the other side of Essie offered his seat to the disruptive passenger, allowing her to lie down.
Still, the behavior reportedly continued, with the woman stretching her bare feet toward Essie for much of the remaining flight. “One thing I don’t play about is feet,” Essie said in the video. “I almost lost it for the tenth time.”
@essiebtravelin PART 1 This flight turned into a horror movie! PSA: If you lean on strangers mid-flight… don’t. #fyp #flight #traveltiktok #traveltips #travelproblems ♬ Creepy and simple horror background music(1070744) – howlingindicator
The bizarre episode has sparked wide discussion online about airline security and passenger conduct. Outraged viewers questioned how a passenger was able to carry a knife onto an international flight and why the crew did not take stronger action once the weapon was displayed.
Others focused on the issue of basic etiquette on long flights, with commenters pointing out that “acting with common decency is not restricted to the young.” Some argued that age or cultural differences did not excuse the passenger’s behavior.
“I feel like she was doing it on purpose. No matter the culture or age differences, she knew better,” one commenter said.
Another wrote, “You’re too nice for me. She was going to understand English that day!”
Essie said she was grateful the situation did not escalate further, but emphasized the fear she felt during the ordeal. T
he incident has fueled renewed debate over whether airlines need stricter enforcement of in-flight behavior and more thorough screening procedures to prevent potentially dangerous items from being brought on board.
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