Passengers flee plane before take-off after 'hearing argument in cockpit'

Around 20 passengers refused to travel on a Malindo Air flight from Penang to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia after claiming to hear a heated argument in the cockpit.

The Straits Times reports that one passenger posted on his Facebook page that he heard shouting as a stewardess came out of the cockpit.

"Apparently, the pilot and the co-pilot were having a serious fight," the passenger Mr Kee, said. "It was so loud that all the passengers were shocked."

"A foreigner sitting on the front row then stood up and asked for permission to leave the aircraft. About 20 of us followed him."

Malaysian Digest reports that the pilot later apologised and explained the situation to the passengers who disembarked but seven of them decided not to take the one-hour flight.

A Malindo Air spokesperson said: "From both the voyage report of the flight and our understanding, the captain was instructing a third observer-trainee pilot in a stern manner as he and the co-pilot prepared for take-off.

"However, upon hearing the loud instruction, a passenger decided to offload himself from the aircraft due to reasons unknown to us.

"About 18 others followed, while most remained on the aircraft."

The spokesperson added that the pilots "apologised for the uncomfortable situation that could have been misunderstood by a handful of passengers."

The flight departed with 52 passengers after a 50-minute delay.