A Jetstar flight from Bali to Melbourne turned back on March 31, 2025, after a female passenger tried to open an aircraft door during the flight.
Flight JQ34 left Denpasar Ngurah Rai International Airport around 8:40 PM local time with over 200 passengers on board.
The incident happened about an hour into the journey while the plane was flying at 33,000 feet.
Jetstar reported that the woman attempted to force open one of the aircraft doors and behaved abusively toward crew members, leading to the decision to return to Bali.
Australian reality TV personality Brooke Jowett, who was on the flight, posted on social media that the woman was frustrated because her seat wouldn’t recline.
“She wanted to sit in a different row and have a chair that could recline, so she decided to try to open the doors,” Jowett wrote.
The woman’s actions set off a warning alert to the crew after she lifted the door handle.
A passenger, reportedly an off-duty police officer sitting near the toilets, intervened and pulled her away from the door during her attempt.
In a recorded announcement shared on social media, the captain told passengers after landing that opening a door during flight is “an impossibility” because of cabin pressurization, particularly in modern aircraft flying above 10,000 feet.
After the plane landed at Denpasar Airport, local authorities removed the disruptive passenger. The flight was canceled, and Jetstar arranged alternative travel for the affected passengers.
One passenger described the experience as an “absolute nightmare” on Instagram, noting there were “260 frightened and angry passengers” when police escorted the woman off the plane.
Reports indicate Jetstar has banned the woman from flying with the airline.
“The safety and welfare of our customers and crew is our top priority and we thank them for the way they responded to the situation,” a Jetstar spokesperson said in a statement.
“This sort of unacceptable behavior will never be tolerated on our flights,” the airline added.
