Banned for Life: Qantas Passenger’s Mid-Air Meltdown Ends in Tahiti Diversion
A traveler on a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Dallas has been slapped with a lifetime ban after allegedly biting a flight attendant, forcing the plane to make an unscheduled stop in Tahiti.
The incident unfolded on Friday afternoon aboard QF21, which departed Melbourne at 2:30 p.m. About seven hours into the journey, the crew diverted to Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, due to a passenger’s disruptive behavior. According to a Qantas spokesperson, other passengers and crew members stepped in to help the attendant during the alleged assault.
Once on the ground in Tahiti, local authorities met the aircraft. Qantas issued the man a no-fly ban covering all future Qantas and Jetstar flights. After refueling—a process that took roughly 35 minutes—the plane continued to Dallas, arriving Saturday morning.
“The safety of our customers and our crew is our number one priority,” the spokesperson said. “We have zero tolerance for disruptive or threatening behavior on our flights.”
Social media footage posted by comedian Mike Goldstein captured the man arguing with cabin crew, swearing at them when asked to move to the back of the plane. In the video, he appears unsteady on his feet, slurring his words, and tells a flight attendant he wanted to “walk out for a ciggie.” The attendant replies that he is carrying on “like a two-bob watch.” The clip does not show the alleged biting.
This is the latest in a string of mid-air disturbances on Australian flights. Last month, a 45-year-old man from Queanbeyan was charged after he allegedly tried to bite another passenger’s arm during a flight from Canberra to Perth. He faces three counts, including assault on an aircraft crew member, which carries a maximum 14-year prison sentence.
Australian Federal Police Acting Superintendent Peter Brindal warned that being in the air does not exempt anyone from the law. “The AFP will put people before the courts if they are accused of breaking the law,” he said.
Other recent incidents include a Canberra woman charged in January for allegedly assaulting a crew member on a flight to Perth, and a vape device that triggered a “pan” call on a Virgin Australia flight from Brisbane to Melbourne in February. Last year, a Jordanian national was charged after allegedly trying to open the doors of a Sydney-bound plane mid-flight.