A passenger has been detained in Tahiti and banned from future Qantas flights after allegedly biting a flight attendant on a long-haul journey from Melbourne to Dallas. The QF21 flight departed Melbourne at 2:30pm on Friday but was diverted to Papeete, Tahiti, seven hours later due to the man's disruptive behaviour.
Passengers and crew intervened to assist the attendant during the alleged assault, a Qantas spokesperson confirmed. Upon landing, authorities met the aircraft, and the passenger was issued a no-fly ban covering all future Qantas and Jetstar flights. The plane refuelled and resumed its journey to Dallas after about 35 minutes, arriving on Saturday morning.
Qantas stated: '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.' New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed awareness of the detention of a New Zealander in Tahiti but provided no further details due to privacy reasons.
Social media footage posted by comedian Mike Goldstein showed the man in a heated exchange with cabin crew, telling them to 'fuck off' when asked to move to the back of the plane. He appeared to be stumbling and slurring his words, claiming he wanted to 'walk out for a ciggie.' The incident follows a spate of altercations on Australian flights, including a recent case where a man was charged after allegedly trying to bite another passenger's arm on a Canberra-Perth flight.
