SYDNEY (TMX) – An Australian man has been ordered to pay thousands of dollars in fuel costs after a flight last year had to be diverted due to his unruly behavior on board, authorities said this week.

The 33-year-old Western Australia man, who was not named, was a passenger on board a flight from Perth to Sydney on Sept. 25, 2023, when his behavior forced the flight to divert back to Perth, according to Australian Federal Police.

The diversion required the flight crew to dump fuel before landing in Perth and resulted in the cancellation of the flight.

Flight crew on board requested assistance from the AFP on their return, and they arrested the passenger. He was charged with one count of disorderly behavior on an aircraft and one count of failure to comply with safety instruction.

On Sept. 5, 2024, the man pleaded guilty to both charges. He was ordered by the Perth Magistrates Court to pay a fine of $9,000 Australian dollars (about $6,000 USD) and more than $8,630 (about $5,600 USD) in reparations to the airline to cover the cost of fuel.

“This incident should serve as a warning that criminal behavior on board can come at a heavy cost to the offender,” AFP Acting Superintendent Shona Davis said in a statement. “It’s far simpler to obey the directions of airline staff than cause unnecessary issues, which can end up hitting you in the hip pocket. The AFP is committed to ensuring all travelers have a safe journey from their departure through to their arrival at their destination.”

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