Qantas bans a male passenger for seven years over allegation he inappropriately touched the woman seated beside him – but he says he was not able to give his version of events

An Australian airline passenger has been banned from flying with Qantas for seven years after a woman next to him claimed he touched her inappropriately.

The 64-year-old man, who has not been named, was blacklisted by the airline following the alleged incident on a flight between London and Singapore on November 3 last year.

It is understood police in Singapore, where the plane landed, were contacted by the flight crew and were investigating an ‘outrage of modesty’.

The 64-year-old is prohibited from flying on any airline of the Qantas Group or Jetstar Group, and from codeshare flights by partner airlines, or from purchasing any flight on a Qantas-issued ticket or from gain access to the Qantas salon.

“I was given no information at all about the allegations,” he said The Sydney Morning Herald.

‘The first few days I was in tears. In fact, I’m still beside myself.’

In a letter appealing against the ban, the man claimed he was never warned that the woman was uncomfortable and only suspected there was a problem when she left and did not return to her seat.

He claimed he asked a flight attendant if there was a problem and was told loudly: “You were invading the lady’s space and what you did was wrong.”

The man said in the letter that a conversation took place between him and the woman as the plane left London airport, covering topics such as what films were shown on the plane and the recent referendum.

She sat in the middle seat, with her husband in the same seat in the row behind her, and the husband sat in the window seat.

He said he fell asleep about an hour into the flight and woke up to find the woman gone.

Another woman across the aisle in their row moved the seats soon after, and two flight attendants occupied the seats until the plane landed in Singapore, where they escorted him off the plane.

Singapore Police were contacted and investigated the alleged incident, with the man interviewed at the airport and his passport in his possession.

After five days, police told him their investigation had been completed and he was given a warning along with a letter allowing him to leave the country and return to Australia.

Once back, the man appealed the ban in writing to Qantas, claiming the airline had ‘humiliated’ him and that airline staff had not applied ‘due diligence’ by asking him for his side of events.

It is understood an internal panel of Qantas employees will review such appeals based on statements from witnesses, including flight crew and other passengers.

The alleged incident happened on November 7 during a flight from London Heathrow (pictured) to Singapore’s Changi Airport

Qantas rejected the appeal on Thursday.

The airline said the allegations against the man included touching the woman on the inside of the thigh and also between her arm and chest as the plane took off.

After she changed seats, he allegedly moved into the middle seat, had an “unwarranted conversation” with the woman across the aisle and then ordered drinks on her behalf, even though she told him she wanted to go to sleep.

The man denies switching seats and says he only touched the first woman’s leg to get her attention.

The airline said in a statement: ‘The safety of our customers and crew is our first priority and we will not tolerate inappropriate or offensive behavior of any kind.’

The ban will be lifted in November 2030.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Qantas for further comment.