Though physical abuse incidents remained rare, these had an “alarming increase” of 61% over 2021, occurring once every 17,200 flights, the IATA said in a press release. (For representational purpose only) Photo: Pixabay
According to a new analysis released by the global airlines body International Air Transport Association, there was one unruly passenger incident for every 568 flights in 2022, while in 2021 it was one per 835 flights. The physical abuse has seen an “alarming increase” of 61% and consumption of own alcohol onboard an aircraft has been among the most common offences.
The most common categories of incidents in 2022 were non-compliance to rules followed by verbal abuse and intoxication. Though physical abuse incidents remained rare, these had an “alarming increase” of 61% over 2021, occurring once every 17,200 flights, the IATA said in a press release.
Although there was initially a drop in non-compliance incidents after the mask mandates were removed on most flights, the frequency began to rise again throughout 2022 and ended the year 37% up as compared to 2021. The most common examples of non-compliance were smoking of cigarettes, failure to fasten seatbelts when instructed, exceeding the carry-on baggage allowance, and consumption of own alcohol onboard.
It also noted that a vast majority of intoxication happened from alcohol consumed prior to the flight. This is something Air India CEO Campbell Wilson has too asserted and in an interview to The Hindu he said earlier that there was “too frequently an incident where passengers not just turned up drunk, but brought their own alcohol and drank it secretly.”
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The IATA called for States to take necessary steps to prosecute errant travellers under an international treaty, Montreal Protocol 2014, which expands their jurisdiction beyond their geographical boundaries when there is an offence onboard an aircraft. It urged States to ratify the protocol, which only 45 nations comprising 33% of international passenger traffic had done.
In December last year, when a video went viral of a bunch of passengers onboard a ThaiSMILE flight incessantly punched a co-traveller who had refused to pay heed to crew instructions. Later, the Indian aviation agencies, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation found themselves at a loss to deal with the incident as it had taken place when the aircraft was still in Bangkok.
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.“The increasing trend of unruly passenger incidents is worrying. Passengers and crew are entitled to a safe and hassle-free experience on board. For that, passengers must comply with crew instructions. There is no excuse for not following the instructions of the crew,” said Conrad Clifford, IATA’s Deputy Director General.
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The IATA has also proposed collaboration with industry partners such as airports, bars and restaurants and duty-free shops to ensure responsible consumption of alcohol as well as training crew to de-escalate incidents and carrying out awareness campaigns on the consequences of unruly behaviour.