$345 twist after woman restrained with duct tape for outburst during Fiji Airways flight

A woman who was restrained with duct tape after outburst during Fiji Airways flight appeared in court. WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT

Flight attendants have been recorded attempting to restrain and duct tape the mouth of an Australian woman who was thrashing and screaming on board a Fiji Airways flight as she travelled to the country’s main island.

In exclusive vision provided to news.com.au, the distressed 69-year-old passenger, who police say was “intoxicated and causing a nuisance”, was filmed on flight FJ871 from San Francisco to Nadi last Saturday.

The flight landed in Nadi on Monday, January 20 local time, where it was met by local law enforcement and she was arrested. News.com.au has confirmed the woman was charged by police in Fiji.

She was charged for one count of Unruly Passenger was produced in custody at Nadi Magistrate Court. She was bailed on $345 and stop departure was issued.

“She was produced in court on Thursday, where the above penalty was issued,” a Fiji police spokesman said. “She appeared again yesterday, paid her fine, and the stop departure was lifted. The case is now discharged.”

A fellow passenger who filmed the altercation, and requested to remain anonymous, said airline staff were “forced to resort to restraining and taping the mouth” of the woman, whose comments were allegedly “racist and vulgar” in nature.

The woman was heard screaming and resisting as cabin crew attempted to use duct tape.

The woman allegedly hurled abuse to both cabin crew and passengers.

The passenger behind the camera said the situation unfolded about halfway into the 11-hour flight towards Nadi, after the woman started to “raise her voice” within the cabin.

“It became known to crew and nearby passengers early into the incident that the woman was travelling with her husband, though they were sitting in different areas of the plane,” the witness, who was seated several rows away from the woman, claimed.

“The husband requested to be seated elsewhere when the woman started to raise her voice, and the altercation between the woman and crew started when the crew refused to tell the woman where he had been moved to.”

The witness told news.com.au the woman “caused great distress to all nearby passengers and crew by screaming and yelling abuse” as well as “threatening and throwing objects such as cups at crew members”.

“She had also slapped the hands of a flight attendant,” the witness claimed.

In the footage, crew can be seen trying to tape the woman’s mouth shut when she refused to stop yelling abuse.

“The other passengers were particularly upset by her overtly racist comments towards the Fijian crew members, with many calling out to the woman to be quiet and behave,” the witness recalled.

“Parents with children onboard were clearly upset with the excessive vulgar language and swearing with many seen blocking the ears of their children.”

A passenger onboard filmed the altercation.

The woman was restrained with duct tape onboard the flight.

In the footage, the woman can be seen towards the back of the plane with two cabin crew members desperately attempting to restrain and ultimately cover her mouth with duct tape.

“The crew forcibly moved the woman to the back of the plane but this didn’t stop the (passenger’s) abusive behaviour, which continued throughout the remainder of the flight,” the witness said.

“The crew informed the woman that authorities would be waiting for her on arrival in Nadi.” It is believed the woman was booked on a connecting flight to Adelaide.

It is understood the altercation took place halfway in to the 11-hour flight from San Francisco to Nadi.

“When the flight was two hours away from Nadi, the husband came and sat with the woman but this didn’t improve the woman’s behaviour. She continued to verbally assault crew members and disturb passengers.”

In a statement sent to news.com.au, Fiji Airways said the incident was being investigated by local authorities.

“At Fiji Airways, the safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority, and we uphold a zero-tolerance policy for any threatening behaviour,” the spokesperson said.

“We are co-operating with the relevant authorities, who are investigating an incident involving a passenger aboard flight FJ817 from San Francisco, which landed at Nadi International Airport on 20th January 2025, where it was met by law enforcement.”

A spokesperson for Fiji Airways said the incident on board flight FJ817 from San Francisco is now part of an ongoing legal investigation.

A spokesperson from the Fiji Police Department confirmed the altercation, and that the woman was “intoxicated”.

“She was intoxicated and causing nuisance to passengers,” Fiji police spokesperson, Sergeant Wame Bautolu told news.com.au.

Under Fiji’s Civil Aviation Authority, airlines have the power to make a passenger leave an aircraft if their behaviour is deemed as “disruptive” with cabin crew given the “right to take measures they think reasonable to prevent the passenger from continuing that behaviour”. When the aircraft lands, their actions may include:

– making the passenger leave the aircraft, possibly under police escort,

– refusing to carry the passenger on the remaining sectors of the journey shown on their ticket, and

– reporting the incident on board the aircraft to the relevant authorities with a view to prosecuting them for any criminal offences that may have been committed.

Serious offences could result in a large fine or imprisonment.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they were aware of reports that an Australian was detained in Fiji.

“We stand ready to provide consular assistance, to any Australian citizen, should they request it,” the spokesperson said.