Vic court fines Saudi man over flight

A nervous flyer who assaulted an attendant and passenger on a flight to Australia will return to Saudi Arabia after paying a $1000 fine.

Khalid Alanazi, 18, pleaded guilty to assaulting the flight attendant and another passenger during a flight between Abu Dhabi and Melbourne on June 17.

Midway through the journey with his family, Alanazi started pacing at the back of the Etihad Airways plane with a lighter and an unlit cigarette.

When told he couldn't smoke on the plane, Alanazi snapped numerous cigarettes, shook a food cart and threw a bottle of water at a flight attendant hitting her left eye.

He then attacked a female passenger, hitting her head and neck while shouting.

Fellow passengers stepped in, restraining Alanazi until he could be handcuffed and strapped into a seat at the back of the plane for the remaining six hours of the trip.

Once he arrived in Melbourne, Alanazi said he couldn't remember the incident but said he was nervous about flying as he'd not been on a plane before.

Alanazi, who was remanded in immigration detention because his visa ran out during proceedings, appeared before the Magistrate Peter Reardon on Tuesday.

Magistrate Reardon described the incident as a "serious offence".

"At 35,000 feet over the Indian Ocean there is no escape," he said.

"It was an ordeal for any passengers on-board."

Alanazi was fined $1000 and placed on a $1000 bond for 24 months.

He is expected to return to Saudi Arabia later this week.