Jetstar flight from Sydney to Melbourne abandoned after passengers began arguing about Israel-Palestine conflict

A flight from Sydney to Melbourne has been abandoned after a man began acting erratically and got into an argument about the Israel-Palestine conflict.

A flight from Sydney to Melbourne this morning has been abandoned and passengers on board removed after a man began acting erratically.

The Jetstar JQ501 service was preparing for takeoff at about 6.20am when the crew became concerned about his conduct and called the Australian Federal Police.

News.com.au understands the man had been acting strangely shortly after boarding, asking for a seat change and then not moving, then asking to go to the toilet but not using it.

The plane returned to the gate and officers came on board to conduct a welfare check. He then became involved in an argument with another person on board over the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Another man reportedly told him: “Get over yourself - there’s a war in Palestine.”

3AW Radio in Melbourne reported that the pair were “ranting and yelling about the situation in the Middle East”.

The Jetstar service from Sydney to Melbourne was abandoned. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“I was quite concerned, you don’t expect this on a domestic flight in Australia,” Scherri Simpson, who was on the flight, told Channel 9’s Today show.

“I travel quite a lot. It’s a bit scary – 9/11 just pops into your head straight away when you see passengers disembarking, and things being not normal.”

After speaking with the man, it’s understood AFP officers were comfortable for him to remain on board and for the plane to depart, but the passenger decided to disembark the plane.

Ms Simpson said the disruption sparked a “domino effect”.

Some of those on board became upset about a vebal argument referencing the Israel-Palestine conflict, she said. It’s believed some decided not to travel.

“Because they were talking about the war it made us all very nervous,” a man who was on the plane told 2GB Radio.

A Jetstar spokesperson said: “We understand the situation made some other people onboard feel uneasy and they also decided not to continue with their journey. As a result of this we had to delay the flight and apologise to customers for the inconvenience.”

All passengers were then removed for operational reasons. The flight eventually departed for Melbourne at about 8.45am.

No arrests have been made.