A New Zealand woman has failed to appear in court after being charged for alleged drunken behaviour on a scheduled international flight from Sydney, including dancing in the aisle before takeoff.
Sheree Young, 50, was on a flight from Sydney to Queensland around 4pm on 21 July when she performed allegedly intoxicated behaviour, including ignoring safety instructions, swearing at cabin crew and dancing in the aisle as the pilot was taxiing for takeoff, the Australian federal police alleged.
The pilot aborted takeoff, returned to the gate and requested AFP assistance to remove Young from the aircraft. The AFP alleged she was asked to exit the plane and became argumentative and non-compliant.
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She was eventually removed from the plane by the AFP so the flight could depart and returned to New Zealand the following day after being released from police custody in Mascot, the AFP said.
Young was given a court attendance notice for failure to comply with cabin crew’s safety instructions, carrying a maximum penalty of $16,500, and breaching the criminal code by resisting, obstructing, hindering or intimidating a commonwealth official, carrying a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment.
The New Zealand citizen was due to appear at John Maddison Tower in Sydney on Wednesday for a mention hearing but did not appear in court.
Her case was adjourned until 17 September after the judge decided against executing a warrant due to the case’s lack of severity.
Her residence was listed in the rural Queensland town of Barcaldine however she was a citizen of New Zealand.
AFP Det Acting Insp Trevor Robinson said the alleged actions inconvenienced everyone on board.
“The alleged behaviour of this woman … in this case caused a delayed takeoff, which inconveniences everyone on board,” he said.
“They are potentially ruining the travel plans of hundreds of other people.”
