Drunk passenger on Fiji Airways restrained with duct tape
A 69-year-old passenger onboard a Fiji Airways flight had to be restrained with duct tape after hurling racist and vulgar remarks.
The Australian woman was reportedly “intoxicated and causing a nuisance” on flight FJ871 from San Francisco to Nadi, Fiji on 18 Jan.
She was arrested and charged by police after the flight landed in Nadi on Monday (20 Jan).
Fiji authorities have confirmed the altercation and that the woman was intoxicated during the incident.
Woman was screaming abuse aboard flight to Fiji
Footage of the incident showed Fiji Airways flight attendants struggling to restrain the accused.
A fellow passenger who filmed the chaos shared that airline staff were “forced to resort to restraining and taping the mouth” of the woman.
According to the witness, the woman started raising her voice midway through the 11-hour flight.
Source: Fiji Sun on Facebook
Her husband, who was onboard the same flight, had then requested to be seated elsewhere.
When the cabin crew refused to tell her where he had been moved to, the woman became agitated — screaming abuse and threatening to throw objects at the crew.
She had also repeatedly slapped one of the flight attendants’ hands.
Persists in showing disruptive behavior throughout flight
“The other passengers were particularly upset by her overtly racist comments towards the Fijian crew members, with many calling out to the woman to be quiet and behave,” said one witness to News.com.au.
Parents onboard resorted to blocking their children’s ears to prevent them from hearing the inappropriate words.
Source: Fiji Sun on Facebook
Although the crew forcibly moved her to the back of the plane, the woman continued her abusive behaviour throughout the flight.
The witness also said that the crew informed the woman that authorities would be waiting for her on arrival in Nadi.
The woman was believed to be booked on a connecting flight to Adelaide, Australia.
Drunk passenger detained and fined
Fiji police arrested the 69-year-old woman upon her arrival, and a stop departure was issued.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade acknowledged reports about the detention of the Australian woman in Fiji.
On Thursday (23 Jan), she was fined by the Nadi Magistrate Court with a charge of unruly passenger behaviour.
The woman has since paid her fine, and the case discharged.
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Featured image adapted from Fiji Sun on Facebook.
