An Airbus A330
Image source: 123RF
Why are airlines seeing an increase in unruly passenger behavior?
With the ongoing recovery of air travel from the pandemic, the aviation industry has been grappling with bad behaviors by some airline passengers.
While these incidents have yet to reach an alarming scale, the social media and instantaneous information sharing have contributed to a heightened perception of increased unruly or disruptive passenger events.
The more prevalent forms of unruly behaviors usually include non-compliance of instructions, verbal or physical abuses. A stark illustration of this trend emerged recently when a passenger attempted to assault a flight attendant using a broken-off spoon.
This incident, among others, has drawn attention to the increasing issues faced by airlines with regards to unruly passengers.
A notable case occurred on June 4, 2023, involving a Delta Flight carrying 261 passengers departing from Paris on route to Detroit.
However, due to the aggressive conduct of an unruly passenger, the flight was forced to make an unscheduled emergency landing in Stephenville, Canada.
In another event, a traveler was taken into custody at the Atlanta International Airport for allegedly assaulting a Spirit Airlines employee.
About a fortnight ago, on August 14, 2023, a passenger aboard a Malaysia Airlines flight caused the plane to divert to Sydney for reciting religious verses loudly.
He further challenged fellow passengers to repeat the verses, escalating the situation by aggressively singling out an individual to do so.
The disruptive passenger’s actions, including veiled threats and alarming gestures, created a tense environment aboard the Airbus A330 flight bound for Kuala Lumpur.
Consequently, the flight had to return to Sydney, where the passenger was arrested by law enforcement officers and subsequently charged with disruptive behavior.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), briefly, a disruptive passenger is an individual who disregards the instructions of airline staff and causes disturbances either during the flight or at the airport. Such behavior not only jeopardizes the safety of the flight but also inconveniences fellow passengers and crew members.
Unruly behaviors are usually triggered by factors such as intoxication, drug use, mental health problems, anxiety and frustration stemming from travel-related issues.
Nevertheless, the consequences for disruptive behavior vary in severity, ranging from fines to imprisonment. Incidents such as drunkenness on an aircraft can lead to both financial penalties and jail time.
For acts endangering the safety of the aircraft, the unruly passenger can face longer incarceration. Additionally, the disruptive passengers may find themselves liable for covering the costs incurred by the airline due to flight diversions.
See a YouTube video ‘MH122 incident: Passenger arrested by Aussie cops, to be charged’
here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Edb5hcSj5A
View another video on the above
here https://youtu.be/yPgnutjxPd0?si=xzu0P0mQUbaCTUy1