A man who ran onto the tarmac at Melbourne Airport and tried to storm a plane because he was running late has been charged with assaulting a Jetstar employee.
The extraordinary scenes unfolded today after the traveller missed his flight and attempted to forcefully enter another plane that was preparing for take off.
He can be seen charging up the steps to the aircraft before trying to tear the door open in a massive security breach.
A man who ran onto the tarmac at Melbourne Airport and tried to storm a plane because he was running late has been charged with assaulting an airline employee
The passenger (pictured: centre) was eventually restrained by baggage handlers and taken into police custody
It is understood the man become aggressive and physical when he was told he was hours late for his flight by Jetstar staff.
The man then started smoking inside the airport terminal and at about 9.30am he rushed to the nearest gate where he pushed past staff and ran onto the tarmac.
The highly troubling video shows the man trying to wrench the door open before kicking it.
Meanwhile, airline staff wearing high-vis jackets watch in horror.
It is understood that the man became enraged when Jetstar staff notified him that he had missed his flight – with one witness claiming ‘he was physically fighting with the staff, punching and scratching them’. He has since been charged with assaulting a Jetstar employee
Witness Susannah Leigh Murray told 9News that she was waiting to get on the flight when she noticed the man on the tarmac.
‘This man was trying to get up the stairs, he was physically fighting with the staff, punching and scratching them,’ she said.
The man was stopped halfway up the boarding stairs but then broke free and made it to the aircraft door before being restrained by baggage handlers again
Australian Federal Police then showed up and escorted the man back through the gate.
The bearded and tattooed man, who had greying hair and was wearing a dark sweater, was led back through the airport.
The aircraft was not travelling to the man’s original destination.
Video footage shows the traveller charging up the steps to the aircraft before trying to tear the door open in a massive security breach
The alleged attack resulted in two Jetstar employees being left with physical injuries.
Engineers checked over the plane and gave it the all clear and passengers eventually boarded the flight and departed later that day.
‘We praise our crew for safely handling this incident and restraining the passenger until police arrived,’ Jetstar said in a statement.
‘This behaviour is unacceptable and we have placed an immediate ban on this passenger travelling on all Jetstar and Qantas flights.’
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