Before her flight from Hong Kong to Brisbane, Sandrine Helene Sellies guzzled a few drinks and some sleeping tablets to help deal with her fear of flying.
But mid flight she wanted a cigarette and was seen on the Cathay Pacific plane walking towards a door with an unlit cigarette and a lighter.
The 34-year-old then began tampering with the emergency exit until she was stopped by a flight attendant.
Defence lawyer Helen Shilton said her client had no memory of what had happened and that she had a history of sleepwalking.
She pleaded guilty to endangering the safety of an aircraft at Brisbane Magistrates Court and was given a 12-month $1,000 good behaviour bond - she will forfeit the money if she commits another offence.
The French tourist was at the start of a three-week holiday in Australia with her husband.