Jetstar flight turns back to Bali after passenger attempts to open door at 33,000 feet

Jetstar has denied disruptive passengers are on the rise after a woman tried to open a door at 33,000 feet and a brawl erupted on another flight over a reclined seat.

A Jetstar flight from Bali to Melbourne has been forced to turn back after a female passenger tried to open a door on the A321LR at 33,000 feet.

Flight JQ34 was in the air for about an hour prior to the incident on Monday night. A Jetstar spokeswoman said the aircraft returned to Denpasar after a “disruptive passenger tried to open one of the doors and was abusive to our crew”.

Jetstar flight forced to return to Denpasar. Picture: Flightradar24

“The safety and welfare of our customers and crew is our top priority and we thank them for the way they responded to the situation,” said the spokeswoman.

“This sort of unacceptable behaviour will never be tolerated on our flights.”

It’s understood the woman was travelling with her partner but it was unclear if she was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Once the flight landed back in Denpasar, the passenger was removed from the aircraft by local authorities.

The service was then cancelled by Jetstar, which is now making alternative arrangements for other passengers.

It came after another disturbance on a Melbourne-Bali flight, when two male passengers almost came to blows during a loud argument over a reclined seat.

Five cabin crew intervened and were able to resolve the situation to the relief of other passengers on the packed flight.

Last month, a 17 year old allegedly armed with a gun, tried to board a Jetstar flight at Avalon Airport but was tackled by a passenger and crew.

Jetstar denied it was seeing an increase in disruptive behaviour by passengers despite a global rise in midflight disturbances.

On a recent Qantas flight, a first class passenger was told to make other arrangements to get home from Singapore after yelling abusive obscenities at cabin crew throughout the service from Sydney.

Crew members and passengers were forced to intervene on a flight from Melbourne to Bali after an altercation broke out between two men. Picture: supplied

Australian Federal Police data showed 4205 incidents were logged at airports and on aircraft in December and January alone, 300 more than in the previous corresponding period.

More than 90 people were arrested as a result of the incidents, ranging from sexual assault and grievous bodily harm to abuse of cabin crew and airport staff.

In most but not all of the incidents alcohol was a factor, with a 2023 US study showing drunkenness was the predominant precursor to mid-flight disturbances.

Crew members and passengers were forced to intervene on a flight from Melbourne to Bali after an altercation broke out between two men. Picture: supplied

European carrier Ryanair has even called for airports to restrict travellers to no more than two alcoholic drinks before boarding an aircraft.

Flight Attendants Association of Australia national secretary Teri O’Toole said passengers should behave on an aircraft the same as they would at work, because flights were essentially a place of work.

Jetstar is the biggest carrier of passengers between Australia and Bali conducting up to 70 return flights a week from seven ports.

The low fares airline also hopes to add the Philippines to its network soon, with flights from Perth to Manila and Brisbane to Cebu.

Originally published as Jetstar flight turns back to Bali after passenger attempts to open door at 33,000 feet