Hawaiian Airlines suffered an unruly passenger incident that caused one of their flights to return to the gate, the passenger to be removed and arrested, and the flight to be delayed. FlightAware data reveals that the incident took place on HA Flight 452, which was travelling from Sydney to Honolulu, on Saturday, October 15. At Kingsford Smith Airport, the plane took off from gate 53.

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The passenger, Daniele De Matos, age 36, is a citizen of the United States and appears to be from Walnut Creek, California, according to reports based on information from Downing Centre District Court in Sydney. She had paid top dollar for a business class ticket to Honolulu. Business fares on that flight can run as high as $3,000 one-way. She unintentionally received a seat in economy class, where tickets can cost as little as $500. She had been in Sydney, according to documents, to work in the software sector.

According to the complaint, the accused became verbally abusive toward the staff members when the cabin crew assigned him to an economy seat during boarding.

Subsequently, De Matos was allowed to take to the seat she had purchased. At some point, the passenger again became abusive toward the flight attendants. Reportedly she was angered when a pre-departure drink she hadn’t finished was taken from her.

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For the duration of the journey, the passenger requested that flight attendants not look at her. At one point, the flight attendant attempted to pacify the accuser by placing her hand on her shoulder, but this only made matters worse. After the plane had left the gate and was about to take off, she started glancing at the crew member who had removed her drink in a disturbing manner. As a result of these exchanges, the cabin crew informed the captain of the accused’s behaviour, the report continued.

The captain came to the conclusion that the accused’s erratic and disruptive behaviour posed a threat to the plane’s safety. Plans for takeoff were abruptly abandoned at that point, and the aircraft returned to the gate at SYD.

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Officers from the Australian Federal Police boarded the plane to arrest the passenger. She was said to be aggressive with them, but she eventually disembarked the plane willingly.

She was later charged in Sydney’s Downing Center Criminal Court. The passenger pled guilty to behaving offensively or disorderlyly, endangering the plane’s safety. She was convicted and fined A$600 on the spot.

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