Unruly Passenger Forced To Pay $5,750 For The Fuel His Plane Had To Dump To Land

Photo: Steelkamp / Wikimedia Commons

An Australian court ordered an unruly passenger to cover the costs of jet fuel dumped so his flight could be diverted on Monday. The 33-year-old man will pay $5,750 for the fuel along with a $5,980 fine for his actions. The passenger was on a 4-hour flight in September 2023 from Perth, Western Australia to Sydney on the other side of the country. However, he forced the plane to return to its destination.

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What the passenger did to get the cross-country flight turned around is unclear. Still, he was arrested and charged with disorderly behavior and failure to comply with safety instructions when the plane landed back in Perth, according to the Australian Federal Police. The man pleaded guilty to both charges last week. AFP Superintendent Shona Davis said in a statement:

“This incident should serve as a warning that criminal behavior on board can come at a heavy cost to the offender. It’s far simpler to obey the directions of airline staff than cause unnecessary issues, which can end up hitting you in the hip pocket. The AFP is committed to ensuring all travelers have a safe journey from their departure through to their arrival at their destination.”

In May, a passenger ran naked down the aisle of a Virgin Australia flight towards the cockpit, USA Today reported. The flight also diverted back to its Perth departure airport.