A LEGAL spat started by a Singapore Airlines stewardess who claims she was slapped by the wife of a business magnate was settled out of court on Wednesday.

Lawyers for both sides said yesterday that the settlement terms were confidential and declined to discuss the details.

The deal caps a sensational lawsuit that saw 25-year-old stewardess Then Jiamin accuse Madam Tan Siew Hoon of slapping her during an SIA flight bound for Tokyo last September.

Madam Tan is married to Mr Wong Ngit Long, who is chairman and chief executive officer of Venture Corp, Singapore's second-largest contract manufacturer.

While the details of the settlement are confidential, the ceiling for awards in a magistrate's hearing, where the case was filed, is $60,000.

Ms Then's lawyer, Mr Vergis Abraham from Drew & Napier, said that she was relieved to have achieved some closure on the matter.

'She would like to put this whole episode behind her and move on,' he said.

Madam Tan's lawyer Ravinderpal Singh declined to comment.

Ms Then, who has been with SIA for two years, had sought unspecified damages for 'emotional and mental distress', according to court documents.

She alleged that Madam Tan became upset when she began talking with Mr Wong during an SIA flight on Sept 20, 2007.

Ms Then claimed that she was slapped once. Madam Tan also loudly asked her: 'Why are you talking to my husband?', court papers allege. Ms Then claimed she had been defamed by the question.

It is believed that she filed the lawsuit after attempts to settle the issue outside court failed.

Contacted yesterday, an SIA spokesman said the carrier 'adopts a zero tolerance approach to assaults on our staff in the course of their duty'.

'Where an allegation is made, the airline will support a decision by the staff member to refer the complaint to the police. '

The status of the police investigation is not known.

Asked whether SIA had settled Ms Then's bill for the lawsuit, the spokesman said the firm provided 'reasonable support to staff to seek remedies if a prosecution cannot be made'.

vijayan@sph.com.sg