A Canadian citizen accused of attempting to open an aircraft emergency door during an international flight from Vancouver to Sydney has pleaded not guilty in court.
Rahulreet Singh Mann, 33, entered his plea at Downing Centre Local Court on Monday, facing a charge of threatening the safety of an aircraft following the May 14 incident.
According to Australian police, Mr. Mann was allegedly seen by another passenger attempting to open an emergency exit door about 15.5 hours into Air Canada flight AC33, before being restrained.
Airline staff escorted Mr. Mann to a seat at the rear of the plane and monitored him for the remainder of the flight.
“It will be alleged the man was intoxicated at the time of the incident,” said an AFP spokesman.
Upon landing in Sydney, Mr. Mann was arrested and charged under the Civil Aviation Act for allegedly threatening the safety of the aircraft.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Inspector Dom Stephenson emphasized the importance of passenger safety and condemned reckless behavior during flights.
“The AFP and our aviation partners have zero tolerance for anti-social, violent, or dangerous behavior, and we will take decisive action,” he stated.
“Passengers should feel safe and not be subjected to intoxication or reckless conduct.”
Court documents indicate Mr. Mann resides in Fletcher, an outer suburb of Newcastle, Australia.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, a $5000 fine, or both.
Mr. Mann pleaded not guilty and was excused from attending his next court date on July 8.