A Qantas Airways flight from Melbourne to Dallas was forced to make an emergency landing on a remote Pacific island after a drunken passenger allegedly bit a flight attendant. The incident occurred on one of the world's longest scheduled services, with a typical flying time of 15 hours. The aircraft diverted to Papeete in Tahiti, French Polynesia, extending the journey for all onboard.
Incident Details
Footage of the altercation was captured by Australian comedian Mike Goldstein, who was traveling on the flight. The video shows a man in a green shirt confronting cabin crew near a lavatory. The passenger is heard shouting expletives after being denied permission to leave his seat for a cigarette. Crew members warned him that he would be restrained for the remainder of the flight if he continued to misbehave. A male flight attendant told the man, 'You're carrying on like a bloody two-bob watch,' an Australian slang term for something cheap and unreliable. However, the clip does not show the alleged biting incident.
Additional Confrontation
In response to comments, Goldstein revealed that the passenger had earlier become involved in a physical altercation with a fellow traveler who reclined their seat. He wrote: 'What I didn't get video of was the person putting their seat back in front of him and him putting them in a chokehold. It woke him up and the rampage started.' The situation escalated to the point where the pilot decided to divert the aircraft to ensure safety.
Rising Issue of Air Rage
Anti-social behavior on flights has become an increasing problem for airlines, leading to significant costs from diversions, including extra fuel and compensation for delayed passengers. Alcohol is frequently a contributing factor, and passengers are strictly prohibited from consuming their own alcohol onboard. However, alcohol remains widely available in airports, including bars and executive lounges, which are not subject to the same opening hour restrictions as high street establishments.
Drunken behavior on aircraft is a criminal offense in the UK, carrying a maximum penalty of £5,000 and two years' imprisonment. Earlier this month, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary called for a ban on serving alcohol to passengers before early morning flights, a proposal criticized by JD Wetherspoon's boss Sir Tim Martin, who deemed it impossible to implement and an 'overreaction.'
