Thai man charged after alleged assault over overhead luggage incident on Sydney-bound flight from Wellington
A Thai national will appear in a Sydney court on Thursday after he allegedly hit the passenger sitting next to him on a plane.
The 25-year-old man allegedly became enraged on a flight from New Zealand to Sydney on Wednesday when some luggage from the overhead baggage compartment fell onto his head.
Passengers were disembarking the plane when the violent dispute kicked off.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“The man assaulted a passenger seated next to him after a bag landed on the man’s head when passengers were unloading the overhead luggage compartment,” the Australian Federal Police (AFP) alleges.
“It is alleged the man became aggressive and struck the passenger in the face.”
He was arrested and charged with one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The offence carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
“Aggressive action in an enclosed space can be extremely frightening for everyone,” AFP Acting Superintendent Damien Full said.
“The AFP has zero tolerance for violent or abusive behaviour ... (it) works closely with the airline industry to intervene if anyone’s behaviour impacts the wellbeing of other passengers.”
The charges come just weeks after another young man was arrested on a flight to New Zealand from Australia.
He was also accused of being drunk and disruptive and refusing to comply with instructions, prompting the plane to divert to Victoria.
The man was restrained at the back of the plane before it landed at Melbourne Airport and AFP officers were able to remove him.
The airline described the incident as “unsettling”.
The plane eventually reached Auckland about 90 minutes behind schedule.
The 23-year-old was charged with one count of assaulting a crew member, an offence which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars.
Originally published on 7NEWS
