A woman flying Virgin Australia flight 696 from Perth on on Saturday was kicked off because she wouldn’t stow her fanny pack. She insisted on keeping the fanny pack on her lap rather than placing it under the seat in front of her or in the overhead bin.
She got into a heated dispute with a flight attendant over what they call Down Under a “bum bag.”
- Passenger: You’re telling me to take my clothes off on a plane, f*** off.
Flight attendant: No I didn’t say that … you had a bum bag on, in the event of an evacuation we need to make sure you’re safe and everyone else is safe.
Police officers boarded the aircraft to remove the woman, and she resisted, screaming loudly and struggling with officers. She faces charges of disorderly conduct and resisting police. The flight ultimately departed Perth approximately an hour behind schedule.
A woman has been marched off a plane and arrested by Australian Federal Police after she abused other passengers and crew, on board the Virgin flight. #airplane #abuse #passengers #AFP #Virgin #7NEWS
Posted by 7NEWS Australia on Saturday, June 21, 2025
Sometimes disputes over fanny packs center on whether they’re clothing or an extra carry-on. Even though they hold ‘stuff’ they’re your clothes, just like a belt is. A belt that you can store items in is still a belt. A fanny pack worn across your body is basically a pocket and part of your clothes too.
Normally a fanny pack doesn’t require overhead bin space (your full-sized carry-on) or space underneath the seat in front of you (your personal item). I have spent a lot of time in Australia. I have family there. And I do find Aussie society surprisingly oficious in many ways. The woman may have been belligerent but she was wearing a fanny pack, it just shouldn’t have been that big a deal.
A man can wear cargo pants. Anyone can wear a jacket, even a heavy winter coat, and you don’t have to take those off. Am I wrong?
‘Down under’ yet still wearing a Yankees hat…
Apparently they feel the fanny pack could cause as issue if they needed to evacuate the plane, perhaps impeding other peoples progress in getting off the plane by bumping into others or getting snagged on another piece of clothing.
Agree or disagree, stow the thing under the seat for the takeoff. Why is that so difficult?
It’s a bag, which is a fashion accessory. Otherwise you could argue that a backpack is clothing because you wear it as well.
It doesn’t matter what you think it is. What matters is what the airline thinks it is. You and the passenger can argue or rationalize all you want but it is meaningless. Take it off or don’t fly, it is that simple.
She is already seated. The FA is not trying to make her pay for an extra bag or gate check it. Put it away for a few minutes for departure and landing and then put it back on.
1) Airlines rule with an Iron Fist. They only provide an illusion of safety. The food servers (aka flight attendants) say they are there for your safety but they aren’t going to save you.
2) The crazy lady needs to shut up and swallow her pride, and put the little bag under the seat. It’s no big deal it’s just her attitude problem. She does not own the plane, so she does not make the rules.
Gary, you apparently agree with her stance that it is clothing. Is there a point at which it is no longer clothing, or if you can strap it to your waist and still walk, you are good to go? Just curious what size of “belt” would become unacceptable in your view
@Christian: No, a backpack can’t be worn while sitting in your seat. A fanny pack certainly can be. There is almost nothing outside the medical realm that a fanny pack needs to be removed for. It doesn’t interfere with a seat belt. It’s no different than an ordinary belt going down the slide.
I currently use a waist bag while flying so I can have everything out of my pockets. It contains my passport, credit cards, phones, money, etc. and keeps things organized and less likely to be lost during TSA check and at airports. It is kind of like a fanny pack, only smaller and worn in front instead of in back. I used to wear a fanny pack while skiing because I needed a place for accessories and it had to be placed in a place that did not interfere with skiing. This woman could have simply moved her fanny pack to the front and left it belted in place unless it was quite large.
I’ve flown on Batik Air a number of times the past few months and the F/A’s have made me take my fanny pack off a couple of times. I simply say “ok”, but it in the overhead or in front of me and then put it back on once the plane levels off. Its not a big deal.
People complain about the most trivial things these days.
“Am I wrong?”
Yes. Fanny packs are NOT close. And sweet little Fifi is not the same as a seeing eye dog. And someone demanding free extra seats because 400 lbs. can’t be squished into an economy seat is not the same as someone truly needing a wheelchair.
We have lost all perspective.
Hah! Not “clothes”. Damn auto fill spellcheck combined with my stubby little thumbs.