Disorderly Passenger Ordered to Pay Airline Nearly $6,000 for Wasted Fuel After He Forced Flight to Divert

• A 33-year-old man flying from Perth to Sydney forced the plane to turn around due to his unruly behavior on September 25, 2023.
• Almost a year later, he was ordered to pay nearly $6,000 to cover fuel costs “in restitution” to the airline on September 5, 2024.
• The man was also accused of “disorderly behavior on the plane” and “failure to follow safety instructions”

A passenger who was forced to divert a flight due to his disorderly behavior has been ordered to reimburse the airline for the cost of lost fuel.

A 33-year-old man from Western Australia was traveling from Perth to Sydney when his unruly behavior forced the plane to turn around, according to a press release from the Australian Federal Police.

Although the incident took place on September 25, 2023, the man was ordered to pay A$8,630 (US$5,786) “in compensation costs to the airline to cover the fuel costs of the flight” almost a year later, on September 5, 2024. Perth Magistrates Court also fined him an additional $6034.

The man pleaded guilty to two offences, including “one count of disorderly conduct on an aircraft” and “one count of failure to comply with safety instructions”, the statement said.

Passenger ordered to pay American Airlines nearly $40,000 for disrupting flight with profanity and threats to crew

Perth Airport.

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Although the statement further explains the details of the incident, it does not name the man or specify which airline he was flying with at the time.

“AFP responded to a request for assistance from aircrew on a flight from Perth to Sydney. The man’s behavior caused the flight to return to Perth, requiring the pilot to refuel before landing, as well as the cancellation of the flight,” the statement said.

Shona Davis, Acting Superintendent for the AFP, said this particular incident was acting as a “warning” for passengers.

“This incident should serve as a warning that criminal behavior on board can have a high price for the perpetrator,” says Davis. “AFP is committed to ensuring all passengers have a safe journey from departure to arrival at their destination.”

FAA orders ‘zero tolerance’ for nuisance passengers after several incidents on DC flights

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While paying for specific fuel is unusual, hefty fines are not uncommon for those who misbehave at 30,000 feet.

In November 2023, a woman flying from Phoenix to Honolulu was ordered to pay nearly $40,000 to American Airlines for disorderly conduct, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

The woman was punished for “using profanity and threatening the flight crew and passengers on the plane,” according to the press release. The captain eventually decided to return to Phoenix because the crew “couldn’t continue with their duties,” causing several other flights to be diverted.

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And in July 2021, a woman flying from Dallas-Fort Worth to Charlotte was fined $81,950 by the Federal Aviation Administration for allegedly pushing a flight attendant and trying to open the cabin door.

It was the FAA’s largest fine in its history.

Former FAA chief Steve Dickson officially signed the zero-tolerance policy in January 2021, which promises to “take legal action” against any passenger found guilty of disorderly conduct, according to the organization’s website.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education