(AFP) A woman passenger was handed over to Hong Kong's airport police after refusing to stop smoking during a flight from here, national airline MAS said in a statement.

The cabin crew of the Malaysia Airlines flight from Kota Kinabalu yesterday told her a number of times to stop smoking and when she refused, the captain alerted airline staff at Hong Kong airport.

The woman, whose name and nationality were not disclosed, was handed over to Hong Kong police on arrival. No further details were given on what action if any would be taken against her.