According to witnesses, the man displayed erratic behavior, staggering and speaking with difficulty while insisting on smoking during the flight. The situation escalated into a heated argument with the crew.
The incident ended with the assault on a flight attendant, whom the passenger bit during the flight. Due to the seriousness of the situation, the plane had to make an emergency diversion to Tahiti, where authorities proceeded with his arrest upon landing.
Following the incident, Qantas has decided to ban the passenger for life due to his violent behavior and endangering flight safety. The altercation was recorded by Australian comedian Mike Goldstein, who was a passenger on the plane.