A 53-year-old man faced a fine of over $500 for his inappropriate actions during a delay in deplaning after a flight to Sydney Airport.
Following a 3-hour journey from Auckland aboard an Air New Zealand flight last December, the incident unfolded, resulting in a Sydney court imposing a fine of 600 Australian dollars (approximately $535 CAD) for offensive behavior in February, as confirmed by officials on Friday.
The details of the event emerged recently when a passenger, identified as Hollv, disclosed that she had reported the incident to the flight crew. According to her, while seated in the aisle with her 15-year-old daughter, she witnessed the man in the window seat urinating in a cup.
The situation escalated when the plane, awaiting allocation of a terminal gate, had been grounded for about 20 minutes, and the unmistakable sound of urination emanated from the passenger. Described as visibly intoxicated, the man reportedly spilled urine on a flight attendant upon exiting the aircraft.
However, the incident didn’t end there. Australian Federal Police stated that the man was removed from the plane because he had urinated in his seat.
While Air New Zealand refrained from commenting on specific occurrences, it noted its stance against disruptive behavior, including instances of intoxication, resulting in the banning of five to ten customers monthly.