Unruly plane passenger arrested on Darwin-bound flight

AN “unruly passenger” - that caused a flight bound for Darwin to be delayed - has been arrested.

Two planes sporting the new branding for the Virgin Australia airline. PHOTO: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

AN “unruly passenger” on a flight bound for Darwin has been arrested.

The NT News understands Virgin flight VA 449 from Brisbane to Darwin has been delayed after it was diverted to Townsville this morning when a man allegedly abused and threatened airline staff.

One passenger, who asked not to be named, said she was sitting five rows in front of the man when he “started nutting off”.

“I heard someone swearing and thought, ‘have I heard right?’,” she said.

“The air hostess was trying to calm him down.

“He told her ‘I f***ing smash people like you.”

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The witness, 40, said she believed the man took exception when the staffer accidentally bumped his leg with a trolley.

Other passengers told him to mind his manners.

“I felt a bit scared and I’m no pansy — it was quite scary for elderly passengers and people with young kids,” the woman said.

She said a non-uniformed female police officer on board intervened and handcuffed the man before landing.

Queensland police confirmed he was in custody.