Qantas flight diverted after passenger 'bites' crew member
A video posted online captures a confrontation between an angry passenger and cabin staff - which appeared to have led the plane to land early
A flight from Melbourne to Texas allegedly had to be diverted after a passenger bit a crew member.
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The Qantas flight, which had been travelling from Melbourne to Dallas-Fort Worth, was reportedly forced to land early in Tahiti where the man was forcibly arrested by local authorities and barred from future Qantas flights.
Flight tracker data showed the QF21 plane was diverted to Tahiti's capital Papeete, roughly seven hours into the 18-hour journey.
After refuelling the plane continued its journey 35 minutes later and arrived on Saturday morning in Dallas-Fort Worth
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A video posted on Instagram by comedian Mike Goldstein appears to show the passenger telling a flight attendant: "I've been trying to open the f***cking door."
The footage does not show the alleged biting incident.
The crew member can be seen responding: "I know you’ve been trying. Keep the language down ... There's kids around everywhere and you're acting immature.
“You have to behave yourself, you're on a plane."
The man, who appears to be confused, then asks: "Where? In the air?"
He can be seen asking the flight attendant if he is "smoking weed".
He proceeds to become more verbally aggressive, telling the crew member so "f*ck off".
Two more passengers intervene to help restrain him as the man can be seen stumbling and slurring profanities at the crew member.
When he is warned that he may be restrained, the man replies: "I was just about to walk out for a cigarette." He then becomes more aggressive when told to go the back of the plane.
The video then cuts to the flight landing in Tahiti followed by a shot of a police officer walking past passengers
Local news reports suggest the passenger was not an Australian.
The plane finally reached Dallas-Fort Worth several hours behind schedule on Saturday morning.
Qantas said in a statement: “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.
“We have zero tolerance for disruptive or threatening behaviour on our flights.”
It comes after a Queanbeyan was charged over alleged disorderly and aggressive behaviour during a flight from Canberra to Perth in April.
The 45-year-old reportedly kicked a cabin member trying to restrain him and attempted to bite another passenger.
He was charged with three counts including assault on an aircraft crew member, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.