The Air New Zealand flight attendant snapped in a snapchat video spitting water is blaming a friend for "hacking" her account and leaking the footage.
The video showed the 24-year-old spitting water, while moving through the cabin, with the caption, "wish I could spit on passengers like this".
However, Fairfax reported the woman had contacted them and alleged the images were taken from her without her knowledge or permission.
She claimed the images were taken from her iCloud account about three months ago when she used a former friend's laptop to charge her phone while she used the bathroom.
The air hostess, who was reported to have also resigned from the airline, has lodged a complaint with police.
However, New Zealand Police said it was unable to confirm if a complaint had been laid.
"We don't as a general rule confirm whether or not someone may or may not be under investigation - and certainly would not be commenting on the nature or the detail of any information received.
"If we were to comment, our usual position is that if we receive information, it will be assessed in line with our normal policy."
Fairfax reported a friend of the woman told them the former stewardess was in a "vulnerable state" and resigned from the airline to protect herself and her identity.
She had been "very distressed by the entire ordeal" and was seeking professional mental health support.
Air New Zealand has publicly spoken out against the leaked video, and another photo aired at the same time of a pilot kissing a blow up doll in the cockpit.
It said it was "shocked and appalled" at the images and planned to look into the actions of the staff involved.
Fairfax reported the flight attendant and one of the two pilots involved had been stood down, however the other pilot had already left the company prior to the images being made public.