A Queensland woman could be hit with more than $13,000 in fines after she allegedly became “disorderly and abusive” while on a flight to Melbourne.
The flight’s captain asked cabin crew and two passengers, who were off-duty first responders, to act in the early hours of Friday morning to restrain the 44-year-old from Mareeba.
She was restrained for the remainder of the flight from Cairns until Australian Federal Police (AFP) met the aircraft’s crew at the gate, according to an AFP spokesman.
“It will be alleged the woman was consuming her own supply of alcohol on board and became disorderly and abusive towards passengers and cabin crew,” the spokesman said.
“The flight’s captain then authorised the use of on-board restraints to de-escalate the situation which were removed when AFP members attended at the gate in Melbourne.”
AFP Acting Superintendent Amanda Glover said there was a zero tolerance approach to anti-social, violent or dangerous behaviour on-board flights and the woman would be issued with an infringement for behaving in an offensive and disorderly manner in an aircraft.
“It would be frightening for anyone being confined in an enclosed space with someone who is behaving aggressively,” she said.
“Passengers, especially those travelling with children, expect to feel safe and should not have to witness intoxication, violence or bad behaviour.”
The maximum penalty for unruly behaviour on an aircraft is a fine of up to $13,750.