Importance Score: 65 / 100 🔴
Jetstar Flight from Bali to Melbourne Diverted After Passenger Attempts to Open Aircraft Door
A Jetstar flight en route from Denpasar, Bali, to Melbourne, Australia, was compelled to return to its origin airport after a passenger reportedly tried to open a plane door mid-flight. The incident occurred on Monday, March 31, prompting the flight’s diversion and significant disruption for approximately 200 passengers on board the aircraft.
Disruptive Passenger Forces Flight to Turn Back
The Jetstar aircraft, which had departed from Denpasar Airport, was airborne for over an hour when the “disruptive” passenger allegedly attempted to open an exit door. Jetstar confirmed the incident, stating, “We had an aircraft return to Denpasar last night after a disruptive passenger attempted to open one of the aircraft doors and was abusive to our crew.”
Airline Statement on Passenger Incident
In their official statement, the airline emphasized the paramount importance of safety and passenger well-being. “The safety and welfare of our customers and crew is our top priority and we thank them for the way they responded to the situation. This sort of unacceptable behavior will never be tolerated on our flights,” Jetstar asserted.
Passenger Removed, Flight Cancelled, Alternative Arrangements Made
Upon returning to Denpasar Airport, local authorities removed the passenger from the aircraft. Consequently, the flight was cancelled. Jetstar reported that alternative flight arrangements were provided to the remaining passengers to ensure they could continue their journey to Melbourne.
Flight Path and Onboard Account
Data from Flight Radar 24 indicates that the flight took off at 8:20 p.m. local time. The flight tracking information corroborates that the aircraft was redirected back to Denpasar Airport shortly after an hour into its scheduled flight path.
TV Host Witnessed Incident
Jacqueline Felgate, an Australian television personality who was a passenger on the flight, shared a video on Instagram capturing the pilot’s announcement to passengers during the return to Bali.
Captain’s Announcement Highlights Safety Concerns
In the video, the captain can be heard explaining, “Earlier tonight, there was a lady down back at the aircraft that tried to physically open the door. She lifted the handle … we got a door warning in the front of the aircraft. … For the safety of the aircraft, the possibility of the door opening also in flight … we don’t know why [this happened] but unfortunately the safest course of action is to … return to land.”
Passenger Account Describes “Scary” Experience
Brooke Jowett, a participant on Australian Survivor, also recounted her experience on Instagram Stories. According to Jowett, “Two hours into the flight flight attendants start running, people start freaking out and we get told to put our seatbelts on immediately. We soon find out we’re heading back to Bali as a passenger decided she no longer wanted to be on the flight and tried forcing open the emergency door mid-air.”
Passengers Stranded After Flight Diversion
Jowett described the situation as “a very scary few hours” and mentioned her plans to travel back to Melbourne the following day. She further illustrated the aftermath at Denpasar Airport, posting a photo of inconvenienced passengers retrieving their baggage, captioning it “a s— show.”