An Australian traveler is facing the consequences for his drunken actions at the airport.
A 37-year-old man appeared before the Perth Magistrates Court on April 7 and was charged with disorderly conduct originating from a March incident during which he was arrested by Australian Federal Police (AFP) in Perth Airport after allegedly becoming increasingly aggressive and violent towards airline staffers at his terminal gate.
An AFP press release obtained by PEOPLE, claims when the man boarded the flight to Melbourne, he was visibly under the influence, which led the flight attendants to ask him to leave the aircraft.
They claim the traveler became “loud and aggressive” towards the airline crew and then reportedly “punched the wall outside a boarding gate with an open palm.”
While being arrested and detained, the AFP says the man also refused to identify himself.
AFP Detective Inspector Peter Brindal, said of the incident, “Our airports are a shared, safe space and airport and airline staff should not have to deal with intoxicated passengers, verbal abuse or any other bad behavior.”
He continued, “The AFP works closely with our partners in the airline industry to intervene if anyone’s behavior in or around an airport becomes aggressive.”
The Perth Magistrates Court charged the man with one count of acting in a disorderly manner in public and one count of failure to comply with a request. He may be fined up to $12,000, as each offense carries a maximum penalty of $6,000.
Unruly passengers are an all too common occurrence in air travel, but some leave more room for debate, including a recent headline-grabbing incident in the U.K.
Last month, a British woman, Ann-Marie Murray, 55, who was traveling with her husband, was escorted off her flight by police after being unable to pay for the $9 snacks she had acquired on board. The couple, who say they had run out of cash on their 4-day trip in the Canary Islands, told the flight crew that their card payment system was not working properly and, therefore, wouldn’t accept the charge.
While the flight attendants alleged that the couple was being difficult and “refusing to pay,” the couple reported that they attempted to do everything possible, including offering to visit an ATM when the plane landed.
However, when the plane reached Bristol Airport, law enforcement met the plane and removed the passengers.
“I thought it was a joke when the crew said they had called the police,” she explained to the officers, calling the entire situation “a silly misunderstanding.”
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