The Korean Air chief steward ejected from a flight by a senior airline executive in the now infamous "nut rage" incident has filed a lawsuit in New York demanding compensation for assault and emotional distress.

A copy of the lawsuit seen by AFP on Friday claims damages for the abuse Park Chang-jin says he suffered at the hand of Cho Hyun-ah, the eldest daughter of the chairman of Korean Air.

Cho is named as the sole defendant in the suit that was filed on Wednesday in the Supreme Court of New York.