Qantas plane turns back to Melbourne after nervous flyer 'plays with exit door'

A Qantas plane was forced to return to Melbourne airport on New Year's Day - after a nervous passenger started 'playing with the exit door' mid-air.

The 18-year-old man reportedly became "fidgety and agitated" around 15 minutes after take off, forcing the captan to return to Melbourne, reports ABC News.

According to the Daily Mail, reporter Mitch Broughton wrote on Twitter: "Passengers say he was "playing" with exit door and grew increasingly anxious".

A Qantas spokeswoman told The Mercury: "On QantasLink flight QF1503 travelling from Melbourne to Hobart this afternoon (1 January) the captain elected to return to Melbourne approximately 15 minutes into flight due to a nervous flyer on-board.

"The flight landed normally into Melbourne at around 1pm and departed again for Hobart at around 1.45pm."

The spokeswoman did not, however, confirm reports the man tried to open the exit door.

Australian Federal Police were called as a standard procedure, but the man was not charged or detained.