The flight from Melbourne was headed to Dallas on Friday when it was forced to make a stop in Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, due to a disruptive passenger.
The man was restrained by fellow passengers, with local media including national broadcaster ABC reporting he bit a member of Qantas staff.
The man was met by local authorities on arrival and has been slapped with a no-fly ban on all Qantas planes.
“The safety of our customers and our crew is our number one priority, and we have zero tolerance for disruptive or threatening behaviour on our flights,” a Qantas spokesperson told AFP on Sunday.
An Indian national was charged with the alleged sexual assault of a woman on a Perth-bound flight, Australian media reported on Wednesday( April 16,2026).
The 52-year-old man, according to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Western Australia Police, committed "non-consensual sexual acts" on a woman seated next to him on the flight on Monday, which was headed from Singapore to Perth, News.com.au reported.
According to the Australian Federal Police, the woman was moved to another seat after she complained to staff. At the same time, the suspect was monitored throughout the flight, the report said, adding that the staff also alerted the police.
The suspect was escorted off the plane upon landing at the Perth Airport. The 52-year-old man was charged with "one count of sexual intercourse without consent and three counts of an act of indecency without consent", News.com.au reported.
The suspect has been remanded in custody ahead of a court appearance on Friday, the report said, adding that the incident was being investigated jointly with the AFP and Western Australia Police.
As per the report, AFP Acting Superintendent Peter Brindal said, "The federal police have zero tolerance for criminal behaviour on planes or within Australian airports".
"Every passenger has the right to feel safe when travelling, especially when confined in an aircraft close to other passengers," Brindal was quoted as saying.
"Anyone subjected to unwanted contact is encouraged to alert the authorities, be it airline staff, the AFP or airport security, as soon as it is safely possible to do so.