By Brendan Foster
"Taser, Taser, Taser", Australian Federal Police can be heard shouting at a man who refuses to leave a plane that was forced to return to Perth on Tuesday night because of his disruptive behaviour.
Qantas put out a statement on Wednesday morning claiming flight QF652 set for Brisbane returned to Perth about an hour into the trip because a seemingly drunk man repeatedly failed to follow crew instructions.
The passenger was removed from the plane in Perth and met by waiting Australian Federal Police.
A 38-year-old Queensland man appeared at Perth's Magistrates Court on Wednesday and is facing charges relating to assaulting aircrew and obstructing police.
The man was escorted off the plane by police in Perth.Credit: Cameron Longworth
He was bailed to reappear on August 9th.
WAtoday obtained footage of the man resisting arrest when confronted by three AFP Perth officers after landing back in Perth.
The passenger, who appears severely intoxicated and struggles when AFP officers try to put handcuffs on him, is warned a number of times by police to produce his arm.
An officer can be heard saying "we are going to Taser you, put your hands behind your back".
The flight path of the plane after a disruptive passenger caused it to head back to Perth.
An AFP officer then yells "Taser, Taser, Taser" and the man starts screaming "f***k off you dogs".
The officer then threatens to Taser him again but at no stage actually follows through with his threat.
Dozens of flights have been delayed or cancelled.Credit: Louise Kennerley
It takes police about one minute to physically remove the man from the plane, who continues to abuse them as he is escorted off the flight.
Remarkably, the people on the plane seemed unruffled by the scuffle and one man wearing headphones, oblivious to what is happening behind him, enjoys a sip of his drink.
A passenger, who was on the flight but doesn't want to be named, said the man appeared intoxicated before the flight even left Perth.
"He was caught with some of his own booze which was taken off him," he told WAtoday.
"It looked like he has been taking medication because an empty packet of something fell on the ground.
"I was sitting in front of him and he kept pushing my chair hassling me to buy him a drink because he had been cut off.
"He was a big nugget of a bloke, but I said 'c'mon mate, I don't want anything to do with this'.
"He wasn't being aggressive but he was standing over a few of the female flight attendants asking for more to drink".
The passenger said the man was shoved to the back of the plane by flight attendants, but when he started to move towards the front of the plane the captain made the decision to return the plane to Perth.
"The bloke didn't even notice the plane had been turned around," he said.
"Everyone was pretty cranky the plane had to be turned around."
A spokesperson for AFP confirmed officers attended the flight when it returned to Perth to speak to a 38-year-old man.
"The man was subsequently arrested and is expected to be charged with offences including failing to comply with aircrew instructions, assault aircrew, obstruct police and cause harm to a commonwealth officer," he said
"Enquiries into this matter are continuing.
"This arrest is a timely reminder for the public to remember that when travelling on an aircraft within Australia, you are bound by Australian laws. Unacceptable or violent behaviour will not be tolerated."
The flight was delayed by three hours and finally arrived in Brisbane around 8.30am local time.