Jetstar flight turned around after passenger attempts to open door mid-flight

Former Survivor contestant Brooke Jowett has revealed she was on board a Jetstar flight when a passenger attempted to open the cabin door mid-flight.

Jowett, who was returning from Bali with her fiancé, Chris Cavanagh, and their young daughter, was on flight JQ-34 from Bali to Melbourne when the incident occurred. 

Stay up to date on the latest news with The National Briefing – keeping you in the loop with news as it hits:

The flight, which took off at 8:40pm local time, was cruising at 33,000 feet and a speed of 500 knots when the female passenger tried to pull down the door release lever.

With the help of an off-duty police officer, the crew swiftly subdued the woman. 

Jowett later described the experience as “very, very scary”.

She said the incident stemmed from a dispute over seating. The passenger, unhappy with her position, allegedly attempted to open the door in an effort to move to a different row. 

“One of the guys who was sitting in front of us was down near the toilets and he pulled her away from the door as she was trying to open it.”

The captain of the plane decided to return to Denpasar Airport, where the woman was arrested by local police. 

The flight, which had been two hours into the journey over the Indian Ocean, was turned around and safely landed back at the airport.

A Jetstar spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating that the safety of passengers and crew was their top priority. 

“This sort of unacceptable behaviour will never be tolerated on our flights,” the spokesperson said.

The flight was cancelled, and Jetstar provided passengers with alternative arrangements. 

Subscribe to The Briefing, Australia’s fastest-growing news podcast on LiSTNR today. The Briefing serves up the latest news headlines and a deep dive into a topic affecting you. All in under 20 minutes.