The 46-year old Jordanian national was onboard an AirAsia flight from Malaysia on Saturday night when the incident occurred.
According to a report on ABC news, Shadi Taisser Ayed Alsaaydeh was arrested by the Australian Federal Police when the flight touched down at Sydney Airport.
Prosecutors will allege Mr Alsaaydeh attempted to open an emergency exit latch while seated at the back of the plane.
He was then moved to the middle of the aircraft where it is alleged he attempted a second time to open another emergency exit and choked a flight attendant who intervened. Several passengers also tried to restrain the defendant.
The latest drama comes just days after incidents onboard two flights between Melbourne and Bali. A woman was accused of trying to open an exit door and in the second incident a row broke out between two men, one of whom was allegedly intoxicated, leading to calls for better screening of passengers pre-boarding.
Following this latest incident Mr Alsaaydeh was charged with two counts of endangering the safety of an aircraft and one count of assault crew of aircraft.
In his bail application, his lawyer told the magistrate Mr Alsaaydeh had taken two medications, pseudoephedrine and a sleeping pill, and also consumed alcohol before boarding the flight but added his client had no memory of the incident.
“I can’t think of anything more terrifying than someone at 30,000 feet trying to manipulate the exit doors on an airplane,” Magistrate Anthony Spence said.
