NewsFiji Airways flight drama: Unruly passenger taped on board

Fiji Airways flight drama: Unruly passenger taped on board

During the flight from San Francisco to Nadi, an incident occurred involving a 69-year-old passenger. The flight attendants decided to quiet the woman by taping her mouth shut.

Flight attendants tried to quiet a passenger with duct tape.
Flight attendants tried to quiet a passenger with duct tape.
Images source: © X
Anna Wajs-Wiejacka

As reported by "Bild," during flight FJ871 from San Francisco to Nadi in Fiji, an unusual incident took place. A 69-year-old passenger started shouting and cursing, prompting the crew to intervene.

According to a passenger who recorded the entire event, the woman became loud halfway through the trip. Her outburst may have been preceded by an argument with her husband, who at some point during the flight asked the crew if he could change seats.

However, separating the couple did not resolve the situation. The woman, under the influence of alcohol, demanded information about her husband's whereabouts. When the crew refused, the situation escalated. The passenger began insulting and threatening the crew members and also threw cups at them.

Fellow passengers were particularly outraged by her racist comments directed at the Fijian crew members. These comments forced some travelers with children to cover their ears. Many travelers asked the woman to calm down and behave decently, but she did not respond to their requests, continuing to hurl insults and vulgarities.

The flight attendants taped the woman's mouth shut

Acting together, the crew finally managed to control the situation by temporarily taping the woman's mouth shut. Two hours before landing, the husband returned to the seat next to his wife, but her behaviour did not improve.

Upon landing in Nadi, the passenger was detained by the police. The airline confirmed that the incident is the subject of a "legal investigation." A Fiji Airways spokesperson quoted by "Bild," emphasized that the safety of passengers and crew is a priority, and any threatening behaviour is unacceptable.