A drunken passenger on an Air New Zealand flight to Auckland had to be forcibly removed after reportedly assaulting a crew member. The incident reportedly caused a delay of 90 minutes for the other travelers.
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A 23-year-old passenger reportedly became intoxicated and disruptive during a flight from Perth, Australia, to Auckland last week, according to the Australian Federal Police.
A flight from Perth to Auckland was diverted to Melbourne yesterday, due to a kiwi passenger, 23.
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The passenger was restrained and arrested after assaulting a crew member when AFP officers boarded the plane at Melbourne airport. pic.twitter.com/Vk6AiFB2RB
The New Zealand national reportedly refused to follow the flight crew’s instructions. He also allegedly assaulted one of the crew members. This led to what was described as a “slight injury,” according to AFP. The flight was diverted to Melbourne, where police boarded the aircraft and removed the passenger, who had been restrained at the rear of the cabin.
Footage reveals that the man, whose name has not been publicly disclosed, was escorted off the plane with his hands zip-tied behind his back.
He faces a charge of assaulting crew members while they were performing their duties. The offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, as reported by the AFP.
The Allegedly Drunk Passenger Delayed the Flight by 90 Minutes
According to ABC News, the Air New Zealand flight experienced a delay of 90 minutes.
“Our crew managed the incident well. [However], incidents like this are distressing for our customers and our people and we have zero tolerance for this sort of behavior on our aircraft,” airline spokesperson David Morgan told the outlet.
Meanwhile, onlookers on social media weighed in on the footage.
“They should stop serving on planes,” one X user wrote. “They know people get stupid Yet they keep serving them drinks because Profit,” they added. “Then why don’t the airlines and terminals STOP SELLING liquor,” another X denizen agreed.
However, another user argued that booze wasn’t the problem. They pushed for harsh repercussions for such behavior on flights.
“The person should be blacklisted from flying. This will teach him a good lesson. Airplane is no place for chaos,’ they wrote.