Comedian Wil Anderson has been released after he was arrested for allegedly causing a disturbance on board a flight that was bound for the regional NSW city of Wagga Wagga.
Police were called to Wagga Wagga Airport just after 4pm on Saturday following reports that a 43-year-old male passenger was "behaving disruptively".
Anderson allegedly refused to follow orders from the Qantas crew on Flight Q400, prompting staff to notify police.
"Officers attended Wagga Wagga Airport following reports of a disruptive passenger on board an incoming flight from Sydney," a NSW Police Media spokesperson said on Saturday.
Anderson, the host of the popular ABC program The Gruen Transfer was arrested by police as he left the aircraft.
In a tweet since deleted, Anderson took aim at Qantas late on Saturday afternoon, saying: "A big f--- you to the crew at Qantas for their no help today. Sorry Wagga if I can't walk when I get off the plane today."
Wil Anderson's deleted tweet. Photo: Twitter/@Wil_Anderson
He was due to perform his comedy show Critically Wil at Wagga Wagga's Civic Theatre at 7.30pm on Saturday.
Anderson later attributed his arrest to a "misunderstanding" with cabin crew, telling WIN News that he was "just trying to stretch out my back".
"I have a sore back and I was up and about pacing and there was a misinterpretation in the intentions of my pacing," he said.
A decade ago, Anderson was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, a condition that reportedly leaves the comedian in a near constant state of pain, and makes it difficult for him to disembark from planes.
"Sometimes I'm going to get off a plane and I won't be able to walk for a while", he told Mamamia in March.
At the time, he told the news outlet that his osteoarthritis had often caused him "excruciating pain", which led to days where he "couldn't do anything".
Despite the drama at the airport and the hold-up at Wagga Wagga police station, Anderson made light of his predicament on Saturday night.
"Comedians often get to say a funny thing happened to you on the way to the gig but it's rare that a funny thing does happen to you on the way to the gig," he told reporters before he was due on stage.
"I'm very confident and happy that the whole thing was based on a misunderstanding and I think we are going to sort it all out."
Police released Anderson just before he was scheduled to hit the stage at 7.30pm and Fairfax Media understands that his sold-out comedy show went ahead as planned.
A Qantas spokeswoman said a passenger was met by police on arrival after "behaving disruptively and refusing to follow crew instructions".
"To ensure all of our flights are safe and comfortable for our passengers we don't tolerate disruptive behaviour onboard," she said in a statement.