Pilot Steps Out of Cockpit to Boot Irate Passenger from Virgin Australia Flight

A pilot on board a Virgin Australia flight was forced to leave the cockpit and boot an unruly passenger off the plane following an altercation. Passengers were shocked as the unruly passenger grabbed the pilot’s uniform during the scuffle and launched into an expletive-ridden tirade.

The footage has been shared online and it has received thousands of views.

The incident happened when the plane was grounded at the Townsville airport on Wednesday evening, according to Sky News Australia. In the video, which was uploaded to several social media sites, the unruly passenger dressed in a bucket hat and yellow crocs can be seen arguing with staff.

The pilot intervenes as the situation looks to get out of control and informs him “you’re off mate.”

The passenger ignores the pilot at first but within moments grabs his shirt and calls the pilot a “f***ing idiot”. Another flight attendant and another passenger could be seen trying to calm down the man but they too came in the line of attack and were seen trying to push him out the flight’s exit door.

He proceeds to insult the female flight attendant next and calls her names.

He is eventually shoved off the plane and three of them overpower him. He continues to hurl expletives at the trio when the pilot finally asks to call the police.

“”I’m leaving,” the man is heard saying.

Ben McKay, another fellow passenger, who was onboard and who uploaded the video to TikTok later told Sky Australia that the passenger had several alcoholic drinks before the journey.

The Virgin Australia authorities later confirmed that the man was removed from the flight for disruptive behaviour. The man also faces travel restrictions.

“The safety of guests and crew is our number one priority and we have zero tolerance for any type of unruly behaviour on Virgin Australia flights. Incidents are referred to the Australian Federal Police or State Police where appropriate,” Virgin Australia said in a statement.

Earlier in November, an inebriated passenger onboard an Air India flight headed to Mumbai from New York, urinated on septuagenarian passenger seated next to him.

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