Passenger who smashed plane window on flight to Groote Eylandt jailed
A man who assaulted passengers and caused more than $7,000 in damage after smashing a plane window has been sentenced to 16 months in prison.
The 24-year-old became aggressive towards passengers and cabin crew on a flight from Cairns, Queensland, to Groote Eylandt, off the coast of the Northern Territory, on April 20.
During the flight, he punched and damaged the plane, refused to follow instructions from airline staff and assaulted other passengers, Australian Federal Police said.
Footage from the second incident shows a man allegedly raising a bottle above his head and using it to hit another passenger.
NT Police arrested three passengers on Alyangula tarmac, Groote Eylandt
He was one of four passengers arrested in two incidents on the flight.
The plane was forced to turn around after the first incident, AFP said in a press release.
After the first altercation, a woman was charged before the plane took off again.
Then another incident broke out, leading to three other passengers being charged when the plane landed at Alyangula on Groote Eylandt.
Upon landing, the Groote Eylandt man was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, breaching a domestic violence order, endangering the safety of an aircraft and engaging in affray and an attack on an airplane.
The man pleaded guilty to all five offenses in Darwin Local Court on Thursday, the AFP said in a statement on Saturday.
“During the flight, the man was aggressive towards passengers and airline staff before hitting and damaging the plane,” AFP said in a statement.
“The man refused to follow instructions from airline staff and assaulted other passengers.
“Police and airline staff are there to keep passengers safe and it is important that the public treats everyone at the airport and on board planes with respect.”
The plane’s internal window was smashed in the second of two alleged in-flight brawls that saw four passengers arrested.
