Pre-flight drinking blamed for unruly passengers
Airlines are urging airport ground staff, and employees working in airport bars and restaurants, to help crack down on unruly passengers.
They say many incidents of bad behaviour stem from passengers drinking alcohol before boarding the flight.
At the Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Doha this week, airlines unanimously adopted a resolution that calls on governments and industry to work together to manage this "significant problem".
"This resolution confirms the determination of airlines to defend the rights of their passengers and crew," said Tony Tyler, IATA’s director general and CEO.
"Everybody on board is entitled to enjoy a journey free from abusive or other unacceptable behavior. Many airlines have trained both ground staff and cabin crew in procedures not only to manage incidents of unruly behavior but also in measures to prevent them. But a robust solution needs alignment among airlines, airports, and governments."
In 2013, the number of incidents of unruly behaviour voluntarily reported to IATA by airlines reached 8,000.
IATA said intoxication, often resulting from alcohol already consumed before boarding, ranks high among factors linked to these incidents.
But it admitted that disruptive behaviour is also triggered by other factors, such as irritation about other passengers, no-smoking policies or the use of electronic devices on board.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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