This is the moment a passenger is thrown off a plane for allegedly SMOKING on the tarmac - as the aircraft was RE-FUELLING.

Security staff stormed aboard the Citilink flight seconds before takeoff yesterday evening at around 9.30pm in Jakarta, Indonesia. Policemen were filmed grappling with man in his seat as he protested and asked if he will put on a different plane, to which the officers tell him ''we will talk about that outside''.

The officers then dragged him away down the aisle and off the Airbus A320 at the Halim Perdanakusuma Airport.The relieved passengers - which might have just avoided an explosion from the cigarette and jet fuel - were then able to continue their journey to holiday island Bali. Passenger Manuel Buchacher from Austria said he saw the man smoking before take off. He added: ''It's a hard lesson for him to learn and follow the rule.''

Citilink spokesman Benny Butar Butar said: ''The incident happened at approximately 9.30pm at Halim. The passenger got out the the boarding gate and was walking towards stairs to the plane. He he was seen smoking up until he got on the stairs to the plane. Other passengers witnessed this and reported it, so airport security officers as well as military police officers stationed at the airport immediately took action. This happened while the plane was re-fulling and the man was close to the engine which caused serious danger to the safety of the flight. In the aviation industry we should be able to ensure that none of the safety rules are violated so flight operations can run safely, smoothly and comfortably.