Delayed flight prompts mass brawl among passengers on plane in China

Military flights causing overcrowded skies - and delays for passengers - in China

A delayed flight appears to have prompted passengers into a physical brawl aboard their plane, video footage shows.

After China's Hainan Airlines kept a flight on the ground for more than four hours, travellers started fighting -- both with each other and with cabin crew.

The incident at Beijing Capital International Airport was captured on film by one of the passengers.

It includes the moment a woman finally lost her patience with one of the cabin staff and used her bag to whack him around the head several times.

Beijing police are also shown leading several people out of the plane for questioning. It is understood that five were taken into custody.

China consistently ranks at the bottom of international flight surveys for on-time takeoffs.

The problem is reportedly because the skies are overcrowded by the military.

Of 188 airports around the world, 14 of the bottom 20 were in China, Hong Kong or Taiwan.

Meanwhile Hangzhou airport, which is on the east coast of China, was the second worst in the world for punctuality.