Man Breaks Through Airport Security and Runs onto Tarmac After Being Denied Boarding

A passenger at Perth Airport barely made it past the terminal after a chaotic incident that ended with his arrest instead of a flight.

According to New Zealand outlet RNZ, a 25-year-old man was taken into custody on Dec. 30 after allegedly breaking through security and running onto the tarmac at Perth Airport.

Authorities said the man was believed to be intoxicated and had been denied boarding his flight. After being turned away, he allegedly smashed glass, triggered an alarm, and pushed past airline staff inside the international terminal.

Australian police said the man then entered the restricted “airside” area — the secure zone between boarding gates and aircraft — before running out onto the tarmac toward a plane.

Airport staff stopped him before he could reach the aircraft, and police were called to the scene. The Australian Federal Police charged him with one count of entering an airside area or airside security zone of a security-controlled airport without permission.

The man was scheduled to appear in Perth Magistrates Court the following day. If convicted, he could face a fine of up to 15,650 Australian dollars, roughly $10,400 in U.S. currency.

“Airside restrictions exist to ensure the safety and security of the travelling public and workers,” AFP Acting Superintendent Hayly Faithfull said in a statement. “If you choose to ignore the warnings and enter an airside security zone without permission, you will potentially face prosecution.”

Neither the Australian Federal Police nor Perth Airport immediately responded to requests for comment.