A 52-year-old woman from Canberra was arrested when she landed at Perth Airport. Photo: AFP.
A woman from Canberra was met by police when she arrived in Western Australia after she allegedly became erratic during a flight before assaulting a crew member.
An Australian Federal Police spokesperson said the plane left Canberra for Perth on 13 December 2025.
The 52-year-old woman allegedly started behaving erratically towards another passenger as the plane prepared for take-off.
When a crew member checked on her welfare, she allegedly forcibly grabbed their arm and head, causing minor injuries.
Officers boarded the plane upon its arrival at Perth Airport and escorted the woman off the flight.
She was then allegedly argumentative and aggressive towards officers.
The AFP spokesperson said the woman first faced the Perth Magistrates Court the following day, charged with assaulting the crew of an aircraft and behaving in an offensive and disorderly manner on an aircraft.
The maximum penalty for each offence is a $16,500 fine.
On Friday (23 January), the police spokesperson said the woman was scheduled to appear in court in Perth that day.
AFP Acting Superintendent Hayley Faithfull said airline staff and passengers deserved to feel safe on planes and not be subjected to anti-social behaviour.
“Any kind of aggressive or anti-social behaviour on a flight can pose a direct threat to the safety of the aircraft and inconvenience passengers onboard,” she said.
If you see or hear concerning behaviour at an airport, report it to Airport Watch at 131 237 (131 AFP).
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