Airlines call for measures to tackle increased air rage

Incidents of unruly passengers on planes are increasing, and a growing chorus of calls by airlines and passengers alike is  requesting more effective deterrents to tackle the problem.

In 2015 there were 10,854 air rage incidents reported by airlines globally, up from 9,316 incidents in 2014, according to the International Air Transport Association.

Incidents have been rising since 2007, when the association started tracking air rage. In that year only 339 incidents were reported to the association.

Many incidents involved such anti-social behaviour as verbal abuse or failure to follow crew instructions but in 2015 eleven per cent included physical aggression toward passengers or crew or damage to the plane, while alcohol or drugs were a factor in 23% of incidents.

«Dangerous» in-flight incidents on UK airlines have risen  fourfold in three years, according to the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority. In 2013, 85 incidents were reported, soaring to 386 in 2015.

Six men were involved in a drunken brawl

Recent cases include a Jetstar flight from Sydney to Thailand in July having to divert to Indonesia after six men were involved in a drunken brawl. An Englishwoman pleaded guilty a month earlier to punching an easyJet pilot in the face after he told her that she was too drunk to fly. An American Airlines pilot had to pin a passenger to the floor after he tried to force his way off the plane as it taxied to the gate in Charlotte, North Carolina. A Los Angeles-bound Delta Air Lines flight diverted to Tucson, Arizona, escorted by two Air Force fighter jets, after a passenger refused to return his seat. Soon after a 35-year-old man was arrested after allegedly biting a flight attendant on a Hawaiian Airlines flight.

Research released at the World Travel Market London in November revealed that the majority of holidaymakers back plans to clamp down on passengers drinking alcohol before and during early morning flights in a bid to stamp out air rage.

The report found that 27% of respondents had experienced a disruptive passenger on a flight and 73% agreed with the recent decision by airline Jet2.com to ban the sale of alcohol on board in the mornings.

Jet2.com’s Managing Director, Phil Ward, believes that ‘pre-loading’ (drinking before the flight) is the main problem and has called for airports and airport retailers to clamp down on pre-flight alcohol sales.

Some passengers, while never considering an early morning drink on a normal day, do so while flying because alcohol is so readily available at airports and on board aircraft. Increasing  delays and increasingly cramped seats give the time and frustration to trigger increased drinking by passengers.

Jet2.com’s no-tolerance stance

Ward wants fully-sealed bags for alcohol purchased in airports, which Jet2.com has been trialling at Manchester and Glasgow airports. 
 
Jet2.com’s no-tolerance stance has seen more than 500 passengers refused travel since 2015, with more than 50 of these given lifetime bans.
 
Monarch Airlines has been operating an anti-air rage initiative at London Gatwick Airport, working with a police team that has been patrolling the airport’s bars and asking staff not to serve people who have been drinking excessively. Police have been working with Monarch to target passengers drinking before late evening flights to Ibiza, and report a significant reduction in alcohol-fuelled incidents.
 
Airlines generally want more countries to ratify a 2014 treaty that closes gaps in laws for dealing with disruptive passengers. However, so far just Bahrain, Congo, Dominican Republic, Gabon, Guyana and Jordan have ratified the pact.
 
In February 2016 five Chinese domestic airlines agreed to tackle air rage by blacklisting passengers who misbehave. Air China, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines and Spring Airlines agreed to keep records of badly behaved passengers, sharing passenger records throughout the country's civil aviation and tourism industries. Blacklisted passengers face penalties that include being denied special seats, ticket discounts, or even service. Again, incidents have dropped since the blacklist.