A 25-year-old Irish man is scheduled to appear in court in Sydney Australia on Thursday for allegedly causing a disturbance on a flight bound for Sydney from Los Angeles in the US.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers responded to a request for assistance and arrested the man upon arrival at Sydney International Airport on October 10th.
The man had reportedly approached the cockpit door mid-flight, refused to obey cabin crew instructions to return to his seat, began behaving in a disruptive manner and assaulted one of the flight attendants.
The cabin crew then initiated flight security procedures and the man was restrained for the remainder of the flight.
The man – who lives in Australia on a temporary working visa – is due to appear at Downing centre local court charged with committing an act of violence on board an aircraft and behaving in an offensive and disorderly manner on an aircraft.
In a statement, AFP Detective Simone O’Mahony said she hopes the matter reminds passengers of the importance of maintaining public order and safety within the aviation system.
“The safe travel of passengers through our airports is a key priority for the AFP,” said Detective O’Mahony. “This alleged behaviour has no place in our aviation system and, while there was no significant delay or personal harm caused on this occasion, it should still serve as a warning to others; if you risk the safety of your fellow passengers, you risk facing significant penalties. ”