Australian man charged for threatening to crash a plane while boarding in Singapore
Singapore Police have charged an Australian man for allegedly threatening to crash a plane while boarding a flight at Changi.
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Singapore police have charged an Australian man for using “threatening words to cause alarm” after he allegedly said he wanted to crash the aircraft when boarding a flight at Changi Airport.
Singapore police did not reveal what airline was involved, or where the flight was heading, at the time of the incident on November 23.
The 36-year-old Australian man is facing two counts of using threatening words causing alarm, under the Protection from Harassment Act 2014, according to a police statement
“The police treat all security threats seriously and will not hesitate to take action against anyone who causes public alarm with false threats,” said the statement.
“Beyond the fear and inconvenience caused to other members of the public, the making of false threats comes at a cost, in the extensive public resources that have to be deployed to deal with the incident.”
The offence carries a maximum penalty of $5000.
It comes as Australian Federal Police reminds travellers of the need to act responsibly at airports and on aircraft during the busy summer holiday period.
AFP Aviation Commander Craig Bellis said police had responded to an average of 57 incidents a day involving drunk individuals at major airports or on aircraft since January.
As a result, 419 people had been charged with 574 offences this year, including drug-related offences, acts of violence and theft.
These included a West Australian man charged for the alleged unprovoked assault of two strangers at Perth Airport in May; a 41-year-old man who made aggressive and sexually graphic comments towards a female flight attendant on a Gold Coast-bound flight and a 27-year-old man who allegedly punched a security guard unconscious at Sydney Airport.
“We have seen examples of unacceptable behaviour by travellers on aircraft and at airports,” said Commander Bellis.
“Passengers who break the law will be dealt with swiftly and will be brought before the courts.”
Australian Airports Association CEO Simon Westaway said it was important for travellers to be prepared for the end-of-year holiday rush, particularly with some terminals undergoing future-proofing upgrades.
“The festive season and New Year is a very busy time at airports around the country as millions of people travel domestically and internationally,” Mr Westaway said.
“There are billions of dollars’ worth of critical infrastructure upgrades now underway at many local airports and the necessary construction works could change the journey of passengers through terminals.
“We simply ask all travellers to plan ahead, be patient and respectful to hardworking aviation staff and be considerate of others.”
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Originally published as Australian man charged for threatening to crash a plane while boarding in Singapore
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