Unruly passengers: Getting better or worse?

Indeed, air rage has become a global problem. Such unruly behaviour threatens safety and security, adversely affects the travel experience of compliant passengers, and disrupts operations that may result in flight delays, cancellations or diversions, writes WOLE SHADARE

The global statistics for unruly passengers is alarming. Before we proceed, we need to look at global statistics on unruly passengers and the work the industry is doing to prevent incidents and to ensure a stronger international legal deterrent.

The 2017 global statistics comes from reports submitted by airlines to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) STEAD database. Mind you, not every airline is a member of IATA and not every member of IATA submits data. So, it is likely that the statistics significantly underestimate the extent of the issue.

Assistant Director, External Affairs, IATA, Tim Colehan at the IATA Media Day held in Geneva, Switzerland said when they look at the incident rate, there was one incident every 1, 053 flights in 2017, adding that this means the frequency of reported incidents has increased versus 2016 where there was an incident every 1, 424 sectors.

According to IATA, there were 8, 731 reports in 2017, which is a reduction of 1, 106 versus the previous year.

He stated that the total number of reports submitted can be affected by changes in the number of airlines submitting data to Safety Trend Evaluation, Analysis and Data Exchange System (STEADS). For example, some airlines change their reporting systems during the year and so may not submit data.

“When we look at the intoxication, we see that 562 out of the 2, 454 relate to consumption of own alcohol-for example duty free brought on to the aircraft. We know that the remaining amount relates to mostly to alcohol consumed prior to boarding”.

“So, what we can conclude from these figures? Well, they show that unruly passenger incidents remain a significant issue. We know that they are committed by a tiny minority of our customers, but like we heard in the example I gave at the start, they have disproportionate impacts on other passengers, crew and the operation”.

IATA members agreed a resolution in 2014 which sets out the strategy and approach-one element of that work with other stakeholders to try and improve prevention and to share best practices internationally.

One market which has seen a significant rise in reported incidents is the United Kingdom. In the period 2013-2017, there was a 325 per cent increase, with alcohol intoxication identified as a trigger in many of these cases. Many of the cases were focused in the key summer months and on flights to particular destinations.

The UK Air Navigation Order already makes it illegal to board an aircraft when drunk or to be drunk when onboard. The penalties are a GBP5,000 fine or two years in prison.

But the industry itself has been proactive in trying to prevent incidents. IATA said it was part of a ten-week government-endorsed public information campaign called, ‘One Too Many” during summer 2018 that aimed to raise awareness of the need to fly responsibly,

No one knows how many unruly passengers cause flight diversions each year or how many are ordered to pay restitution. But in some of the most egregious incidents, unruly passengers can face large financial restitution penalties. The fines carry a dual purpose. They help airlines recoup the cost when a flight is cut short and serve as a deterrent to others to think twice before behaving badly on a flight.

Unruly passengers have been a problem airlines have grappled with for decades. But in an era with increased focus on safety and security, tighter seating and packed planes, the airline industry feels a sense of urgency to identify potential problems and prevent incidents. The restitution penalties are federal prosecutors’ efforts to put a dent in the problem.

In a case in July, 2018, passenger Bolutife Olusegun Olorunda  was ordered to pay Delta Air Lines $9,118 for the cost of a diversion to Tulsa after he verbally assaulted a flight attendant on his flight from Portland, Ore to Atlanta.

The issue of misbehavior in the air has gained greater focus in recent years, with IATA pushing for countries to adopt a global legal framework and enforcement policy for unruly passengers, since gaps in governance can mean some people are never punished for misconduct.

Association of Flight Attendants union spokeswoman Taylor Garland said a lot of people take prescription drugs to feel more comfortable flying, and they don’t realize the [different] effect that alcohol or drugs can have when you’re up in the air.

If an issue with one problematic passenger isn’t tackled quickly, it could escalate into a conflict involving more people and become “a much bigger incident,” Garland said — which is why the captain may decide to divert.

Wole Shadare