By Mukesh Sharma
Doha: Airlines are trying to forge an international mechanism to tackle passenger misbehaviour in the air that often results in diverted flights and legal issues. International carriers are grappling with rising number of unruly passengers.
According to the International Transport Association, which is meeting in Doha, there were 8,000 cases of unruly behaviour voluntarily reported to IATA in 2013. “It comes to one incident for 1,300 flights,” Paul Steele, Senior Vice-President, Member and External Relations of the organization, said yesterday at a media briefing here. Weird passenger behaviour includes going berserk after excessive drinking, sexual harassment and physical or verbal abuse of passengers or crew members.
A plan drawn in Montreal early this year has set off a process that could result in an international treaty to deal with unruly air passengers — enabling prosecutors of the country where the plane lands to move against offenders. In the absence of a law, prosecutors are often at a loss to treat cases of unruly behaviour by foreigners in international air space. Governments often ask airlines to fly back such passengers. “Imagine one seated on the seat next to you,” said Steele, adding that a diversion may cost an airline up to $200,000.
IATA, which has more than 200 airlines as members, adopted a resolution at its 70th annual general meeting here yesterday that urges governments and airlines to join hands on measures to manage the problem of unruly passenger behaviour.
Steele cited an incident in which an Australian carrier flying to Singapore had to land in Denpasar in Indonesia for offloading an inebriated passenger who repeatedly tried to storm the cockpit. Indonesian police were at a loss to prosecute someone for something done in international air space.
An International Civil Aviation Organisation conference earlier this year adopted the Montreal Protocol 2014, which extends the legal jurisdiction for cases of unruly behaviour to the territory in which the aircraft lands.
IATA Director General and Chief Executive Officer Tony Tyler applauded governments for recognising the problem as a serious issue. “Now, governments must ratify what they have agreed to.”
The protocol will come into force when it is ratified by 22 countries. Australia, according to Steele, is one of the early movers who are being brought into focus for having the protocol passed by their parliaments. “Once the 22 nations ratify the protocol, it would be ready to be adopted as an international regulation to tackle the issue,” Steele said.
Intoxication, often resulting from alcohol consumption before boarding the flight, ranks high among the causes behind unruly behaviour. “Crew members have been kicked, punched and injured by rogue passengers,” said Steele.
The Peninsula
