‘Cabin door was already closed’: Intoxicated passenger vomited on traveler before 13 hour flight

A major disturbance happened on EVA Air flight 45 on May 25th, 2025, just before it was supposed to leave Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport for Vienna, Austria. A drunk plane passenger caused a long delay and a very upsetting experience for other travelers when he threw up on a passenger sitting in front of him right before takeoff.

The problem started after the airplane door had been closed and the plane was getting ready to leave. A male passenger, who was clearly drunk (shown by an empty bottle of whiskey and a strong smell of alcohol), got sick, according to Metro. He vomited on his own seat and also on the passenger directly in front of him. The strong smell of alcohol was mixed with the noticeable scent of ginger duck, meaning the passenger might have drunk a lot before getting on the plane.

The flight crew acted quickly to handle the situation. Flight attendants went straight to the drunk passenger to help him and check his condition. At the same time, they helped the passenger who had vomited on, offering support and moving him to another seat if possible. The area covered in vomit was blocked off right away so other passengers could not sit there, making sure it could be cleaned properly. As reported by The Mirror, this cleaning process added to the delay before takeoff.

Plane passenger vomited on another before takeoff

One local said, “the cabin door was already closed, and then that person started vomiting… There was an older man on his right, and when he saw him vomiting, he immediately stood up… The flight attendants later helped move that older man’s seat, but that whole row was then blocked off and no one could sit there.”

The situation was made worse because the airplane door was already closed. This meant that removing the drunk passenger required extra steps and coordination with airport staff on the ground. Other passengers said they felt stressed and uncomfortable, but they also said the crew handled the situation professionally and efficiently. The airline focused on keeping everyone safe and making sure the plane was clean before leaving.

The delay caused by the incident was about 30 minutes. However, the skilled pilots managed to make up for the lost time during the flight, so the plane still landed in Vienna on schedule. Even though the event was clearly disruptive and unpleasant for everyone on board, the airline’s quick response and the crew’s professionalism helped reduce some of the problems.

We’ve heard of some bad issues for airplane passengers, and while some are a bit more lighthearted than others, this was one to remember. While the details are different, both cases show why it’s important to deal with drunk and unruly passengers on flights to keep everyone safe. EVA Air has not yet made an official statement about the incident.