Virgin Hijack Scare: Passenger Arrested

Sky news : Friday April 25, 2014

A drunken passenger sparked a hijack scare after trying to break into the cockpit of a Virgin passenger plane.

The plane is currently at Bali's international airport and a man has now been arrested, an Indonesian air force spokesman said.

All passengers are unharmed and have been evacuated from the aircraft, the spokesman added.

It is understood that the aircraft was a Virgin Australia plane, scheduled to fly from Brisbane to Bali. 

"We got information that a 737-800 from Brisbane to Bali has been hijacked," Indonesian air force spokesman Hadi Tjahjanto told Metro TV television station.

According to an Indonesian transport official the captain raised the alarm after a passenger tried to enter the cockpit. 

However, a Virgin official later denied that the plane had ever been hijacked, TV sources said.

He said that the drama had been a "misunderstanding".

Palani Mohan, a passenger on a  flight that was about to take off from Bali, said: "The captain of my plane made an announcement saying we were delayed indefinitely.

"He said it was because a hijack was going on in Bali airport, about 150 metres away from us.

"I saw at least five vehicles including military-style trucks, filled with men in uniform, rushing towards the plane.

"Then the Virgin plane taxied away, followed by the convoy of security forces. The flight attendant said it's been taken off to a different part of the airport.

"Bali airport seems to be in lockdown, we've been told no planes will be departing or arriving. The pilot's not allowing anyone off our plane."

Virgin Australia Airlines, formerly Virgin Blue Airlines, is Australia's second-largest airline as well as the largest by fleet size to use the Virgin brand.