'I would have slapped her back' - Facebook reacts to assault on plane

Social media users have reacted with rage to a Facebook post by a black woman who was assaulted by a white passenger on board a flight to Ethiopia.

Star Nintcy wrote on her Facebook wall on Wednesday that she was assaulted by the woman after an altercation aboard Ethiopian Airlines from Cape Town.

“…about 1 hour after take-off I reclined my seat slightly to get comfortable. Immediately the lady seated directly behind me tapped my shoulder and asked me to pull my chair up. 'But why should I?”‚ I asked....given that‚ the seat wasn't reclined all the way to it's maximum reach.. Her response was something along the lines of needing all the room she paid for‚ as well as needing to watch her screen and place meals on her tray....to which I responded that I'd obviously straighten my chair when it was meal-time‚ and that the tv screens could easily be angled back and forth ....and that she could also opt to recline her seat as well‚” Nintcy wrote.

She said the unidentified woman became more upset and started shouting at her.

“You have no rights. Sit upright and behave yourself‚” the woman said‚ according to Nintcy.

“At this point I didn't see her hand coming as she struck me across my head. The captain was informed‚ and I was assured that there will be security waiting when we landed at the airport in Addis.”

When security did not pitch‚ Nintcy said she had opted for an apology from the woman and told her she would record it on her phone and post it on social media. The woman agreed.

“In the video Nintcy recorded‚ the woman said: I am very‚ very sorry. I feel ashamed of my behaviour. I will never do that to anyone. It was wrong of me to hit an innocent person.”

Facebook user Njoki Maina said she would not have accepted the apology but would have instead slapped the woman back.

“The only middle ground I would settle for is a slap back.”

“You needed to put her in her place. Being ignorant is no excuse for rudeness. These so called white folks are so ignorant it beats the h--- out of me. Slapping her back is what she needed. I'm really sorry this happened to you. It shouldn't happen at all‚” said Pamela Mokeira Nyaribo-Alunga.