The Qantas flight to Dallas was forced into a sudden Tahiti detour.
A flight from Melbourne to Dallas made an unexpected stop in Tahiti after a passenger allegedly bit a flight attendant during a mid-air confrontation.
The man, believed to be a New Zealand national, received a lifetime ban from Qantas and Jetstar airlines after the disruption caused the plane to divert.
The man was filmed by fellow passengers as he stumbled in the aisle, arguing with airline staff and attempting to “walk out for a ciggie”.
Footage uploaded by comedian Mike Goldstein did not show the alleged biting, but did show an extended dispute between the passenger and airline staff.
A clip of the flight attendant telling the passenger he was carrying on “like a bloody two-bob watch” is gaining traction online.
The saying refers to someone behaving erratically or frantically. Mr Goldstein admitted he had never heard the phrase before, but said he plans to adopt it into his own vocabulary.
“You’ll be restrained if you don’t behave yourself, you’ll be restrained for the whole trip,” the flight attendant warned the man, before walking him to the back of the plane.
The dispute occurred 11 hours before the QF21’s expected arrival in Dallas.
Authorities met the plane in Papeete, and the man was removed.
He is facing a lifetime Qantas ban, with a spokesperson for the airline saying “the safety of our customers and our crew is our number one priority”.
“We have zero tolerance for disruptive or threatening behaviour on our flights,” the spokesperson said.
Credits: Qantas
