Footage uploaded to Instagram allegedly captures the man, who appears drunk, arguing with staff and claiming he was about to step off the plane for a cigarette. Photo / Mike Goldstein
Footage uploaded to Instagram allegedly captures the man, who appears drunk, arguing with staff and claiming he was about to step off the plane for a cigarette. Photo / Mike Goldstein
Wild footage has captured a mid-air drama erupting on an international Qantas flight, with a man booted off the plane after he allegedly bit a crew member who was intervening.
The Dallas-bound Qantas flight, which departed Melbourne on Friday, diverted to Tahiti, where the belligerent passenger was handed over tolocal police and issued a ban from the airline.
Alleged front-row footage of the passenger – which was uploaded to social media by comedian Mike Goldstein – shows the man stumbling out of the toilet still doing his belt up.
Asking a flight attendant if he had smoked weed, the passenger carries on swearing at staff and passengers.
“We need you to behave yourself,” the Qantas worker says.
“Bro, I was just about to walk out for a cigarette,” the passenger can be heard saying.
“Put that wrist lock off [sic] me again, there’s problems.”
Footage uploaded to Instagram allegedly captures the man, who appears drunk, arguing with staff and claiming he was about to step off the plane for a cigarette. Photo / Mike Goldstein
There is continued swearing as the Qantas workers tell him to behave, and a couple of passengers also get up and attempt to control him.
The person who recorded the footage said on the clip the passenger was drunk.
The footage then shows Tahitian police coming on board, and the camera turns down the aisle, showing the man face down on the floor being restrained.
The footage does not show any alleged biting.
The man is banned from flying Qantas. Photo / The Sydney Morning Herald via Getty Images
The Sydney Morning Herald reports the passenger is not an Australian national.
“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,” Qantas said in a statement.
The Melbourne to Dallas flight was diverted to the Tahitian capital, Papeete.
The plane refuelled and landed in Texas a few hours late.
The passenger has been slapped with a total ban from Qantas.
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