A man has faced court after biting a flight attendant, opening a plane door and leaping onto the taxiway while his flight was taking off. Picture: AFP

Tun Lon Sein had travelled thousands of kilometres from Thailand to the United States, when the incident occurred on the last leg of his journey on Thursday.

Authorities say Sein got out of his seat on American Airlines flight 5242 from Charlotte to New Bern in the US state of North Carolina, and rushed to the main door of the aircraft as it was preparing to take off.

Alarmed by his behaviour, two passengers and a member of the flight crew attempted to restrain the man.

It was during the scuffle that Sein bit the flight attendant, popped open the door and jumped down onto the tarmac.

Tun Lon Sein was arrested after a disturbance on an American Airlines flight. Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied

The quick actions of eagle-eyed ground crew stopped him from running out onto the taxiway and runway, documents tendered to court stated.

It’s still unclear what caused Sein’s outburst as he speaks almost no English. A Thai interpreter who appeared in court didn’t speak Karin, a language of lower Myanmar, CNN reported.

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He had flown from Bangkok to Hong Kong, and entered the US in New Jersey, before flying to Charlotte.

American Airlines issued a statement saying the plane returned to the gate after “a security incident with a passenger” and was re-screened, before resuming its journey.

American flights have been plagued by a series of high-profile incidents in recent months, including the forced removal of David Dao that went viral in April. Picture: YouTubeSource:Supplied

Sein was charged with interference with flight crew members and attendants on a commercial aircraft.

The alarming incident is the latest in a series of high-profile dramas on US flights in recent months.

A doctor was left bloodied and bruised after he was forcibly removed from an oversold United Airlines flight in April, with video of the altercation going viral.

A family with an infant were booted off an overbooked Delta flight and threatened with jail earlier this month.Source:Supplied

There have been several violent, racist or ranty outbursts by passengers that have resulted in emergency landings or delays.

And most recently, a gay father was accused of inappropriately touching his son on a United flight by a hostie who notified police. He’s now suing.

There have been a series of high-profile dramas on US flights in recent months. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images