A passenger’s drunken antics on a flight led to a costly detour that left 150 passengers stranded and slapped him with a bill for tens of thousands of dollars.
The man from Western Australia appeared in court on Friday, September 6, and pleaded guilty to one count of disorderly behavior on an aircraft and one count of failure to comply with safety instructions.
Wade Douglas Corbett’s airborne drama unfolded in September last year while he was aboard a Jetstar flight from Perth to Sydney.
The 34-year-old passenger reportedly had one too many drinks on the flight and put on a drunken spectacle that led the cabin crew to cut him off from any more alcohol.
Wade Douglas Corbett’s unruly behavior forced a Jetstar flight to turn around, leaving 150 passengers stranded and costing him tens of thousands of dollars
The crew was left intimidated by his unruly behavior, and he refused to comply when they asked him to fasten his seatbelt.
At some point, he even locked himself up in the toilet and refused to come out.
The crew was left with no choice but to turn the flight around just about one hour into the journey.
The aircraft’s pilot was forced to dump $20,000 worth of fuel in order to safely land back in Perth.
The Australian Federal Police was informed about the disorderly passenger, and Wade was escorted off the plane with their assistance.
The 34-year-old Western Australian man pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct on an aircraft and failing to comply with safety instructions
During an appearance in court last September, the man laughed and said, “Sorry, guys,” when asked by reporters about what he had to say about 150 passengers being left stranded in Perth overnight due to his behavior.
He then flexed his biceps for the camera.
The flyer’s reckless behavior cost him thousands of dollars, amounting to a fine of $9,000. The court also ordered him to pay $8,630 to offset the wasted fuel’s cost.
The unruly passenger was captured flexing his biceps for the camera during a court appearance in September
Federal Police Acting Superintendent Shona Davis didn’t mince words when reflecting on the incident.
She hoped that the incident and the hefty fines would remind passengers that “criminal behaviour 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,” she said. “The AFP is committed to ensuring all travellers have a safe journey from their departure through to their arrival at their destination.”
Some fans thought the fines weren’t enough punishment and that banning him from flying with the airline would be more appropriate
