A feisty 30-year-old passenger aboard a Jetstar flight refused to obey the crew’s orders that he return to his seat, despite having shifted spots simply so he could remain close to his friend. In an attempt to put him in line, authorities removed their taser and jolted Bolic Bet Malou until they were able to remove him from the plane and arrest him for disobeying commands.
After Malou’s encounter with the Taser aboard Jetstar flight JQ977 from Perth to Melbourne, Australia, officers charged him with disorderly conduct, assaulting a police officer, and obstructing a public office due to his reportedly aggressive behavior. Despite being 30 years old and having refused to comply on Saturday’s scheduled journey, he was still met with harsh consequences.
Malou’s seating arrangement on the flight was apparently not in accordance with his assigned seat, and when he refused to move, tensions rapidly rose. The Australian Federal Police officers had no other choice but to forcibly remove him from the plane since both cabin crew and police orders were disregarded by Malou.
During the struggle, authorities alleged that Malou had attacked a police officer and resisted arrest while trying to remain on board.
“Police were required to deploy a taser in order to restrain and arrest the man,” an AFP statement reads. “Three AFP officers sustained minor injuries that were later treated.”
Australian Law Enforcement will take action against any passengers who mistreat other people, including officers of the law. Acting Superintendent Shona Davis declared that this type of illegal conduct – like Malou’s alleged actions – cannot be tolerated in local airports or airplane flights.
“Simply put, we just need to treat each other the way we want to be treated – with respect and common decency,” she stated. “Choosing to behave poorly on a flight affects not only your travel plans but also those of potentially hundreds of other people. This is why the AFP has no tolerance for poor behavior in our airports or on aircraft.”
As a result of his misconduct, Malou was issued with a no-fly order while the incident is being resolved. Additionally, another passenger who had been traveling alongside him was also taken off the plane; however, they were not arrested nor charged in connection to this episode.
“The safety of our customers and crew is our number one priority, and while the vast majority of our customers behave well, we have zero tolerance for those who don’t,” a spokesperson stated. “Our crew called the AFP for assistance when a customer (allegedly) became verbally and physically abusive after he repeatedly refused to follow their instructions to move to his assigned seat. After checking on the welfare of the remaining customers and crew onboard, the flight departed Perth approximately one hour after its scheduled departure time. We thank passengers for their patience as our crew worked with the AFP to manage the situation.”
