Scotch-stealing passenger diverts Sydney flight

A drunk passenger who allegedly broke through four sets of plastic handcuffs has diverted a Sydney-bound Qantas flight.

Flight QF24 from Bangkok was forced to land in Cairns about 5:45am this morning where Australian Federal Police officers escorted the male passenger from the plane, The Age reports.

The man had reportedly tried to steal bottles of Scotch whisky from the cabin crew area several times before being cuffed on board by two plainclothes AFP officers.

He was moved from economy class to business class where he shouted for several hours, at one point yelling "turn off the f------ light c---".

Fellow passengers were told the man, who appeared to be aged in his 20s, had broken through all four sets of "flex-cuffs" stocked on the flight.

A Qantas spokesman confirmed the flight had been diverted "due to an intoxicated passenger" and he had been detained by the AFP.

The flight, which had been due to land in Sydney at 6:45am, was expected to arrive at 9:05am.

Source: The Age
Author: Chloe Ross, Approving editor: Natasha Lee