A passenger has been banned from future Qantas travel after a long-haul flight from Australia to the United States was diverted at the weekend following an incident in which the man allegedly bit a flight attendant. The QF21 flight departed Melbourne at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, en route to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Approximately seven hours into the journey, the aircraft was forced to land in Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, due to the disruptive behavior of the passenger.
Incident Details
According to a Qantas spokesperson, passengers and crew members came to the assistance of the flight attendant during the alleged assault. Upon arrival in Papeete, authorities met the aircraft, and Qantas issued a no-fly ban to the passenger, which applies to all future Qantas and Jetstar flights. After refueling, the plane resumed its journey to Dallas about 35 minutes later, arriving on Saturday morning.
The Qantas spokesperson stated: “The safety of our customers and our crew is our number one priority and we have zero tolerance for disruptive or threatening behaviour on our flights.”
Social Media Footage
Footage uploaded to social media by comedian Mike Goldstein captured the passenger engaged in a heated exchange with cabin crew. In the video, the man repeatedly told crew members to “fuck off” when asked to move to the back of the plane. Standing in the aisle, he appeared to be stumbling and slurring his words, telling a flight attendant that he wanted to “walk out for a ciggie.” The flight attendant responded by saying he was carrying on “like a two-bob watch.” The footage did not show the alleged biting incident.
Recent Spate of Altercations on Australian Flights
This incident is part of a series of altercations on Australian flights, some of which have resulted in arrests. Last month, a 45-year-old man from Queanbeyan was charged over alleged disorderly and aggressive behavior that led to his mid-flight restraint on a journey from Canberra to Perth. He allegedly tried to bite the arm of another passenger and kicked at a cabin manager during attempts to restrain him. Australian Federal Police (AFP) charged him with three counts, including assault on an aircraft crew member, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
AFP Acting Superintendent Peter Brindal commented at the time: “Being in the air does not give anyone a free pass from the law and consequences on the ground. The AFP … will put people before the courts if they are accused of breaking the law.”
In January, AFP alleged that a Canberra woman on a flight to Perth behaved erratically as the plane prepared to take off and assaulted a cabin crew member. She was charged with one count of assaulting crew of an aircraft and one count of behaving in an offensive and disorderly manner on an aircraft.
Additionally, a vape device caused alarm on a Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane to Melbourne in February, when it activated in the cabin during descent, emitting smoke. The pilots issued a “pan” call, and firefighters met the aircraft upon landing.
Last year, a Jordanian national was charged after allegedly trying to open the doors of a Sydney-bound plane mid-flight. Crew and passengers had to restrain the man, during which he allegedly assaulted an airline staff member.
Guardian Australia understands that the passenger involved in the Qantas incident is not from Australia.
