When high jinks turn nasty for air crews

Although isolated, examples of conflict at more than 30,000ft ( 9144m) range from the bizarre to the potentially deadly. Here’s a few recent ones.

Taser response

Late last year Korean Airlines said it would allow crew members to “readily use stun guns” to manage violent passengers, and hire more male flight attendants. An unruly business class passenger got loose from a rope restraint three times.

Knock down drag out fight

Last July, six Australian men were thrown off a Jetstar plane after a wild drunken brawl on a flight from Sydney to Phuket. The pilot was forced to divert to Bali’s Ngurah Rai airport, where the brawlers were detained.

“Just sharing a beer”

Earlier this year an Air New Zealand flight to Dunedin was met by police because of an “intoxicated” couple. But the couple said they were simply sharing a beer they had brought onboard, which they did not know was against the rules. According to the Otago Daily Times, the pair from Melbourne were each issued $ 600 fines on arrival at Dunedin. Police said the couple were issued an infringement notice after causing a disturbance on the flight from Auckland via Wellington, and failing to comply with orders from the crew and pilot.

The blanket battle

Early this year a Hawaiian Airlines flight was forced to divert to Los Angeles after a row broke out over the cost of a blanket. A Honolulubound Hawaiian Airlines flight was diverted when an “unruly” passenger threatened to “take somebody behind the woodshed” over the cost of an in- flight blanket, according to officials. The 66- yearold man got into an argument with the crew aboard the flight from Las Vegas to Honolulu. Authorities said the blanket cost US$ 12 ($ 17.34), though it is listed for US$ 10 on Hawaiian’s website.

The Trump factor

Following the presidential election, America’s divisions have been on full display in the air. Late last year, Delta banned a passenger after he went on a pro- Trump rant. In January, an Alaska Airlines traveller verbally bashed a Trump supporter — and was bounced from the plane. That same month, prosecutors said a traveller attacked a Muslim airline employee, warning her that Trump “will get rid of all of you”. On a United Airlines flight just last month, a pilot gave a bizarre speech before takeoff — prompting dozens of concerned passengers to flee the plane. Days later, passengers rejoiced when a man was kicked off a Houstonbound United flight for causing a disturbance that was blamed on racist comments.

Diversion to Auckland

A man was arrested after he allegedly launched into a racist tirade and verbally abused cabin crew on a flight from Sydney to San Francisco. The United Airlines flight on New Year’s Day was forced to divert to Auckland because of the incident.

Witnesses said the American passenger, 42, became angry when two men seated on either side of him, who were described as being South Asian, spoke to each other over him.

Transtasman grope

Police arrested a man who allegedly groped a female passenger on a transtasman Jetstar flight last month. “The man was arrested for assault. It was a complaint of a man sexually assaulting a woman on a flight from Australia,” a police spokeswoman said.

A Jetstar spokeswoman said a passenger made a complaint to the crew of inappropriate behaviour from another passenger. “The passengers were separated for the remainder of the flight and support was provided.”

Spitting and screaming

Police reportedly arrested a woman on a flight from Auckland to Christchurch after she spat at a crew member, abused staff and passengers and stood in the aisle as the plane landed. Another passenger said the woman rolled a cigarette and waved it around after “nutting off ”, and stood in the aisle while the plane landed saying “go faster”. Passengers clapped as the handcuffed woman was taken away by police and aviation security.