Passenger Bites Flight Attendant, Causing Flight to US to be Diverted

As reported by AFP on Sunday (17/5/2026), a flight from Melbourne to Dallas on Friday was forced to stop in Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, due to the disruptive behaviour of a passenger. The man was restrained by other passengers. Local media and national television station ABC reported that the man bit a Qantas crew member. Upon arrival in Papeete, the man was handled by local authorities. He has also been banned from all Qantas flights. “The safety of our customers and crew is our top priority and we will not tolerate disruptive or threatening behaviour on our flights,” a Qantas spokesperson told AFP.