Sexual assault, drugs and weapons — all in a day’s work for Australia’s airport police

Federal police fronted up to 4205 incidents at airports over summer ranging from sexual assaults to weapon and drug smuggling.

Police have revealed the full horror of increasingly poor behaviour by passengers at airports and on aircraft, after being called out to 68 incidents a day over the summer holiday period.

A total of 4205 incidents were attended by Australian Federal Police in December and January, 300 more than the same period a year ago, resulting in 93 arrests on 132 charges.

Among the worst, was the serious assault of an officer by a female traveller armed with a pen after a Jetstar flight from Sydney to Perth. The alleged attack occurred when the flight was met by police after the 34-year-old woman ­refused cabin crew directions to secure her seatbelt for landing.

Pen-inflicted injuries to an AFP officer at Perth Airport. Picture: AFP

Other incidents involved abuse of cabin crew, assault of other passengers, and disruptive behaviour hat threatened the safe operation of an aircraft.

Already some of those arrested have been dealt with by the courts, including an Indian man who caused the diversion of a Qantas flight to Darwin, en route from Bangalore to Sydney on January 7.

Vikrum Dwarakanath, 46, was fined $5000 and added to Qantas’s no fly list after losing control during the flight and shouting and spitting at crew and passengers.

In another incident, a 78-year-old man was slapped with a $1000 fine for committing an act of indecency on a Sydney-Gold Coast flight in December.

He was arrested by the AFP after a female passenger complained he touched her leg without consent multiple times.

And Sri Lanka’s Asanka Podiappuhamilage was forced to surrender his passport after being arrested at Melbourne Airport on December 18 for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman on a Sri Lankan Airlines international flight.

Almost half of all charges laid were for offences against people or property.

Other offences related to breaches of security zones and the attempted importation of prohibited weapons and drugs.

A prohibited weapon seized from a passenger at Adelaide Airport. Picture: AFP

AFP Aviation Commander Craig Bellis said police had zero tolerance for anti-social, violent or dangerous behaviour towards passengers, staff or law enforcement at airports and on aeroplanes.

“Travelling through our airports should be a safe experience, which is why the AFP and its government and industry partners work closely to prevent, disrupt and respond to security and criminal threats,” Mr Bellis said.

“Protecting our airports cannot be tackled by one agency alone. Working together and sharing knowledge with our public and private partners is crucial and remains a high personal priority.”

When the new Western Sydney Airport opens next year, it will become the tenth AFP-designated gateway, joining Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Gold Coast, Canberra, Darwin and Cairns.

Mr Bellis said the AFP was currently recruiting police and protective service officers for the new airport, with opportunities across investigations, forensics, aviation, intelligence and more.

“Australia’s airports are busier than ever, with passenger numbers at AFP-protected airports reaching 134 million in the 2023-24 financial year, and we only expect numbers to continue increasing,” he said.

Drugs found in carry on luggage at Melbourne Airport in January. Picture: AFP

As passenger numbers grew, so did the number of security incidents with travellers urged to contact airport watch on 131237 to report suspicious activity.

That included anyone displaying an unusually keen interest in security procedures; anyone trying to gain unauthorised access to secure areas, and anyone asking questions to gain information about the airport.

Originally published as Sexual assault, drugs and weapons — all in a day’s work for Australia’s airport police