"I kneeled before her": Flight attendant describes being shamed by airline executive

A Korean Air flight attendant has described being insulted and shamed by an airline executive who flew into a rage when he offered her macadamia nuts from a bag instead of a plate.

Cho Hyun-ah, who is the daughter of Korean Air's chairman, has resigned and apologised publicly over the 'nut rage' drama.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the flight attendant claims she ordered him removed from the plane and the flight returned to the gate at JFK Airport in New York.

Senior flight attendant Park Chang-jin told South Korea's KBS television network he and his colleague kneeled down before Cho after being confronted about the nuts.

Park said Cho yelled at the crew to "call right now and stop the plane. I will stop this plane from leaving."

News.com.au reports that when he returned to South Korea on a separate flight, five to six officials from the airline visited his home every day to ask him to tell investigators that Cho did not use abusive language and that he got off the plane voluntarily.

Cho apologised in front of dozens of journalists saying, "I sincerely apologise. I'm sorry."

Her father Cho Yang-ho also made a deep bow to journalists and called her behaviour foolish, regretting that he did not raise her better.

She has been questioned over the possibility her actions violated aviation safety law.