An Australian man has been charged thousands of dollars in fuel charges and fines after his unruly behavior diverted a flight last year. 

The 33-year-old man, who was not identified, was on a flight from Perth to Sydney on Sept. 25, 2023 when he started misbehaving, the Australian Federal Police said in a news release. Police did not specify how he was disrupting the flight, but said that his behavior “caused the flight to return to Perth.” 

Because of the early return, the pilot had to dump fuel before landing, and the rest of the passengers had to be reaccomodated on a later flight. 

The man was arrested by the Australian Federal Police after the flight landed, and charged with one count of disorderly behavior on an aircraft and one count of failure to comply with safety instruction. 

He pleaded guilty to the charges last week. 

He was fined $9,000 Australian dollars, or about $6,000 USD, the Australian Federal Police said. He was also charged about $5,600 USD, in “reparation costs to the airline to cover the cost of fuel from the flight.” 

Australian Federal Police acting superintendent Shona Davis said that she hopes this outcome will dissuade others from acting out while flying. 

“This incident should serve as a warning that criminal behaviour on board can come at a heavy cost to the offender,” Davis said. “It’s far simpler to obey the directions of airline staff than cause unnecessary issues, which can end up hitting you in the hip pocket.”

Earlier this year, a British man was charged over $20,000 for outbursts on a flight from London, England to Newark, New Jersey. The flight was diverted to Bangor, Maine after Alexander Michael Dominic MacDonald’s argument with his girlfriend escalated into him yelling at a flight attendant. MacDonald eventually became “verbally and physically aggressive,” CBS News previously reported, and had to be restrained with flex cuffs as the flight diverted. 

In 2022, the FAA announced it was enacting a zero-tolerance policy against unruly passengers. 

“Behaving dangerously on a plane will cost you; that’s a promise,” said Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen at the time. “Unsafe behavior simply does not fly and keeping our Zero Tolerance policy will help us continue making progress to prevent and punish this behavior.” 

Apple AirPods Pro 2 can soon be used as hearing aids, after they received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance, in what experts call a game changer for the hearing aid market.

The FDA on Thursday authorized a piece of software called Hearing Aid Feature (HAF) that will allow Apple AirPods Pro 2 ear buds and other compatible Apple AirPods Pro devices to function as hearing aids when paired with an iOS 18-compatible iPhone or iPad. It’s the first time the FDA has authorized an over-the-counter hearing aid software, the agency said. 

iOS 18, the software through which HAF will be available is set to arrive by October, Apple previously said. 

The new HAF is for the estimated 30 million Americans who suffer from mild to moderate hearing loss, due to “aging, exposure to loud noises, certain medical conditions, and other factors,” the FDA said. The application will also feature a hearing test, the results of which are used to customize the volume, tone and balance settings that are built into hearing aid. 

“Hearing loss is a significant public health issue impacting millions of Americans,” Michelle Tarver, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement Thursday. “Today’s marketing authorization of an over-the-counter hearing aid software on a widely used consumer audio product is another step that advances the availability, accessibility and acceptability of hearing support for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss.” 

In October 2022, the FDA established over-the-counter hearing aid regulations allowing consumers to purchase the devices in stores, versus at a physician’s office, making it easier for many to access the assistive devices at a lower price point. 

Apple AirPods Pro 2 retail for $249, which is far less than the thousands of dollars other models of OTC hearing aids can cost. 

Otolaryngologists hope Apple’s foray into the hearing aid market will compel more people who suffer from hearing loss to seek out assistance. The devices could also help reduce the stigma around hearing aids, given how ubiquitous ear buds including Apple AirPods are among all populations, including those who don’t suffer from hearing loss. 

“The price point is well below some of the other OTC quality products, and the fact that it’s so mainstream — we know that when you design something for all, it helps people with hearing loss,” Barbara Kelley, executive director of the Hearing Loss Association of America, told CBS MoneyWatch. “With Apple coming in, and the way Apple does things with a big splash, it really draws attention to hearing health and treating hearing loss, which is part of overall health.”