Angry traveller slams Jetstar’s response after her flight to Bali was forced to turn around because of another passenger’s out-of-control tirade

A woman who was on board a plane that was turned back due to an unruly passenger has been branded ‘disgraceful’ by Jetstar after she claimed the airline tried to ban her from a replacement flight but was ‘forced’ to let her on board.

Ashleigh Baker was on the JQ43 flight to Bali on Monday morning, which had to return after just a few hours in the air due to an unruly female passenger who ended up having to be tied down and restrained.

Ms Baker now claims she was not allowed to board the replacement flight from Bali to Melbourne the next morning.

In a video on TikTok, Ms Baker said she arrived at Melbourne Airport two hours before her rescheduled flight to Bali and checked in online with only hand luggage.

She said that after going through customs, she was waiting at the gate, where Jetstar staff arrived about 45 minutes before the 10am flight and gave her some unwelcome news.

“I was put on the 6pm flight, bearing in mind that every passenger from yesterday’s flight is on this 10am flight,” Ms Baker said.

‘Jetstar made a mistake.

“I told them the situation and they said there’s nothing they can do, I’m not on this flight.

‘This is absolutely disgraceful behaviour. I’ve lost two days of my vacation, not to mention money for which I can’t see myself being compensated.

‘I’m not normally one to complain and I know these things happen, but this is completely ridiculous and I’m devastated.’

Mrs. Baker told it Yahoo! news that she had a boarding pass that allowed her to pass through security and immigration controls, but it was her partner who noticed that the number appeared to be wrong.

“It wasn’t until my partner asked the flight number and (we were told) ‘it leaves at 6pm’ that I realized there were two flights,” she said.

Jetstar had added the extra flight to accommodate all those who had been sent back on Monday and that day had been pushed back to 6pm.

Mrs. Baker said that after she had been told her she was on the later flight, she went ‘to border security’ to ask for help and they called the Jetstar desk.

She says border security “essentially forced them to put me on the run and gave me an ‘immigration permit.’

“I had so many fellow passengers advocating for me and everyone clapped for me when I got on because they all knew what had happened.”

However, Jetstar claims Ms Baker made the decision to change flights and then put herself back on the 10am flight.

“All affected customers, including Ms Baker, were transferred to our replacement flight the following morning,” Jetstar told Daily Mail Australia on Saturday.

‘Mrs Baker subsequently requested several flight changes, with which we assisted her.

“She later requested to be transferred back to her original, rescheduled flight that we had arranged.”

Ms Baker said Jetstar “could have done better” by offering compensation but “chose not to”.

She replied to people on TikTok that she had hired her lawyer to seek compensation for the loss of one of the three of the four nights she would spend in Bali.

She also told another person that the woman who forced Monday’s flight to turn around should never have been allowed on board because her bad behavior had been observed at the airport.

“She was erratic, hitting people who spit on rubbish bins and she was still allowed on board,” Ms Baker said.

‘At the start of the flight she thought her phone had been stolen.

‘She was banging on the cockpit door and becoming aggressive towards people. She was sitting in the back of the plane and was apparently aggressive towards many people back there.”

Ms Baker said she saw the woman walk past the host as she was pushing the food trolley and tell them to ‘f**^ off’.

A TikTok video made by Ms Baker showed the woman standing up and shouting obscenities in another passenger’s face.

“I think the gentleman’s comment was ‘settle down’ and ‘thanks for ruining the flight’, which I think is fair enough and she got angry in that way,” Ms Baker said.

“For those asking if she was right, she absolutely wasn’t.”

Ms Baker said she did not know the women’s “story” but said the situation was “frightening for many of the children on board and for many adults as well.”

“I’m certainly a big supporter of mental health, but there is no excuse for that kind of aggression and putting people in a frightening situation,” Ms Baker said.

‘I don’t blame any of the cabin crew at all.

“If anything, it showed me that they don’t have the right support or training to deal with these situations, which I think are really dangerous.”

Ms Baker said five passengers had to help cabin crew restrain the woman, who was eventually zip-tied and left in the back seat.

“She was also probably laughing because she turned the plane around,” Ms Baker said.

“Also to add…her phone ended up being in her chair.”

Jetstar apologized for any inconvenience caused following the incident.

“The captain decided to return to Melbourne to seek assistance from the Australian Federal Police after a passenger became disruptive just less than two hours into the flight,” the airline said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia.

“We know this has been a difficult experience for other customers and our team members, and we thank those who helped with the situation.

‘Due to the circumstances, several crew members were unable to continue flying and the flight has been rescheduled for tomorrow at 10am.

‘We will provide overnight accommodation to all customers who require it and cover other reasonable expenses, including meals.

“The safety of our customers and crew is our priority.”

The Australian Federal Police are currently investigating the incident.