An Australian woman who caused a disturbance on a Fiji Airways flight from San Francisco to Nadi on Monday has been fined $500 after being charged under Fiji’s Civil Aviation Act.

Stephanie Alesandra Bank, 69, from Adelaide, was reportedly intoxicated and disruptive during the flight on Monday, prompting flight attendants to take extreme measures to restrain her.

Witnesses on board described her behavior as a nuisance to passengers, with comments allegedly racist and vulgar in nature.

The situation escalated to the point where airline staff were forced to restrain her and tape her mouth shut to prevent further disturbances.

Upon landing in Nadi, Bank was taken into custody and was charged with one count of being an unruly passenger under the Civil Aviation Act.

She appeared in the Nadi Magistrates Court on Thursday, where she was penalized and granted bail with a $1,000 cash bond.

A stop departure order was also issued, preventing her from leaving the country.

Bank returned to court the following day, where she paid her fine, leading to the stop departure order being lifted. With the case now discharged, she is free to leave Fiji.

Fiji Airways and aviation authorities continue to emphasize strict policies against unruly passengers, reinforcing the importance of maintaining order and safety on board flights.