It seems that Cathay Pacific's first-class passengers are not as privileged as they imagine, as the wife of Sun Hung Kai Properties boss Raymond Kwok Ping-luen found out to her cost recently.

Kowk's wife, Helen, got into a dispute with a flight attendant over what she claimed was a very valuable piece of hand luggage.

On board the first-class compartment of the CX581 flight returning from Sapporo, Japan, on July 29, she kept the bag on her lap as the flight was preparing to land.

An air hostess asked her to put it in the overhead locker but she refused, identifying herself as Kwok's wife and allegedly claiming the bag contained valuable medicine.

She eventually agreed to put the bag in the overhead locker but the flight captain, who had been informed of the incident, reported it to police on landing.

She was taken to the airport police station where she spent more than two hours. Police said the dispute, reported at 8.38pm on July 29, was settled after a verbal warning had been issued.

A Cathay Pacific spokesperson confirmed a case of "misunderstanding" had taken place between a hostess and a passenger and police involvement was needed to settle the case.

Should the flight attendant be praised for carrying out her duties strictly by the book, or should she have shown a little flexibility when dealing with a determined tai-tai?