Man gets fined $26,000 for turning around Qantas flight

Sydney Australia March 15, 2016, Boeing 747-400 wearing Qantas Airlines colour scheme, arriving late afternoon at Kingsford Smith airport from Bangkok Thailand, with the city Skyline in the background

A violent passenger who forced a Qantas flight to turn around after he went on an alcohol and Xanax fueled rampage may face fines of up to $26,000.

The fly-in-fly-out worker, named Luke Macdonald Taylor, was travelling from Perth to Brisbane when he began aggressively swearing at crew members in July Last year, reports SBS.

The crew members were trying to stop the 39-year-old from drinking alcohol he brought onto the flight himself.

Taylor poked the shoulder of one flight attendant and threatened to punch another.

He was eventually coerced back into his seat but continued to be disruptive.

He even tried to bite a federal officer when he was being arrested.

According to SBS Judge Bruce Goetze the victim statements say the man’s imposing physical presence filled them with anxiety and fear and one crew member had to take a week off work because of the incident.

Goetze also accepted Taylor was remorseful and had taken steps to rehabilitate himself.

Taylor pleaded guilty and was fined $10,500 plus an extra $15,207 in repairs to Qantas.

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