Travellers be warned. If you joke about blowing up a plane, abuse airline staff, attack strangers or, most bizarrely of all, try to open the door on a moving aircraft while several thousand feet in the air, there will be consequences.
At the designated airports where the AFP is the lead law enforcement agency, being Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, there has been a spike in arrests for bad behaviour.
AFP's highly skilled aviation members have charged 347 people with 408 offences this year already*, while in the previous 12 months, 1180 people were charged with 1442 criminal offences**.
The AFP will increase high-visibility patrols through airport precincts this Easter period to keep travellers and workers safe and be ready to combat any criminal behaviour, with tens of thousands of airline passengers expected to travel.
AFP Aviation Commander Craig Bellis said the AFP had zero tolerance for any form of antisocial or dangerous behaviour directed at travellers, airport workers and other staff, airline employees, and law enforcement in the aviation environment.
"For many, the Easter holiday period is a time of celebration," Commander Bellis said. "However, higher traveller numbers and potentially longer waiting periods can lead to a spike in bad behaviour, triggered by impatience or intoxication, at our airports.
"Travellers should be aware bad behaviour can result in flight cancellations, airline bans, criminal convictions and hefty fines.
"So far in 2025, the AFP has responded to a mixed bag of incidents at our major airports including violent attacks, threats to 'blow up' flights and individuals trying to open plane doors while soaring above the clouds.
"Don't ruin your holiday plans because of poor choices - your holiday destination will be much nicer than a police holding cell. Be patient, be mindful of your alcohol intake and follow airline advice."
Among recent examples of the consequences of bad behaviour, a southwest Sydney man, 22, was recently convicted and fined $10,000 for using social media to threaten an aircraft. Other recent incidents include:
- A New Zealand national, 37, charged with the alleged assault of an airline employee and two strangers at Sydney Airport on 1 April, 2025.
- A man, 46, charged after allegedly trying to open an emergency exit door during an international flight bound for Sydney, and allegedly assaulting an airline employee, on 5 April, 2025.
- A man, 37, charged with disorderly behaviour after he allegedly punched a wall with an open palm at Perth Airport after he was asked to leave a domestic flight due to intoxication on 7 April, 2025.
- A foreign national, 67, charged with an alleged act of indecency on a passenger during a flight from Los Angeles, United States to Sydney, NSW, on 7 April, 2025.
Commander Bellis said the dedication and commitment of AFP officers to protect the aviation environment was a key reason for the stress-free journey enjoyed by thousands of travellers through airports each day.
"Airports are complex environments with countless people, luggage and cargo travelling in and out of Australia from all over the world every hour of the day, particularly during the peak Easter period," Commander Bellis said.
"With so many moving parts, the AFP is committed to working with our aviation partners and using every measure at our disposal to secure the aviation environment and ensure its smooth operation."
The AFP has clocked up more than 31,000 hours in preventative actions in the nation's busiest airports since 1 January, 2025. These actions include perimeter inspections and intelligence-led patrols to detect explosives and firearms.
"Travellers often see AFP uniformed officers patrolling and responding to incidents in airport terminals or on aircraft," Commander Bellis said. "But this is one small aspect of the AFP's role in keeping our airport community safe.
"The AFP's responsibilities include the protection of all features of the airport environment, such as air traffic control towers, runways, hangars, aircraft and cargo terminals. This infrastructure is critical to the integrity and running of all airports.
"Through airport perimeter inspections, intelligence-led patrols by our highly trained police and protective service officers, targeted canine sweeps and coordinated days of action with partner agencies, we are dedicated to pulling out all stops to protect our airports and the traveling public."
The AFP has worked with key partners to provide the travelling public the following advice:
- If available, save time by checking in online or via an airline's app;
- When possible, check traffic conditions to the airport to allow time to arrive and check in luggage;
- Consider pre-booking if parking at an airport car park, or travelling to the airport by public transport, ride share or taxi;
- Be aware of weight restrictions of check-in luggage and other potential restrictions, such as lithium batteries and other dangerous goods;
- Be patient and follow directions when going through security screening;
- If travelling with children, consider packing extra food or activities to entertain them as the busy travel period could result in longer time waiting in lines.
*The period inclusive of January 1, 2025 - 9 April, 2025.
**The period inclusive of April 9, 2024 - 9 April, 2025.
