Turkish Airlines flight diverted after passenger ‘bites attendant’s finger’ in fight

A video of the incident went viral last week after a fellow traveller posted footage online

The incident occurred on a flight to Jakarta (Nuice Media / Twitter)

A flight had to be diverted after a passenger allegedly bit a cabin crew member’s finger while on board, according to reports.

The incident took place on a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Jakarta on 11 October, with video of the brawl shared on Twitter.

The unnamed male passenger was allegedly intoxicated and had to be restrained after the fight, theExpress reports.

He is reportedly a pilot for Indonesian airline Batik Air, which is owned by Lion Air Group.

The carrier told local press that, although he does work for the company, he was not working on this flight, and his actions do not reflect the group’s values.

The man was reportedly antagonised by a dog on board, who had been hidden by a fellow passenger.

Asked to calm down by flight attendants, he allegedly became increasingly agitated and proceeded to bite the finger of one of the members of the cabin crew.

Footage posted online shows a fight ensuing, and appears to show the man punching flight attendants while one of them holds out handcuffs.

As passengers look on in disbelief, the flight attendant then tries to tackle the man.

The flight was forced to divert as a result of the incident, turning around above Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and landing at Kualanamu International Airport, Medan.

The man was reportedly escorted off the plane before it continued on its journey to Jakarta.

A spokesperson for the Jakarta Metro Police said: “Because of the ruckus on the plane, Turkish Airlines dropped the Indonesian passenger who was injured at Kualanamu Airport, Medan. The Indonesian citizen who was suspected of being drunk is undergoing treatment at Kualanamu Health Clinic.”

The video has so far amassed over 530,000 views since it was first posted on 12 October.

The Independent has approached Turkish Airlines and the Lion Air Group for comment.