Airlines Dealt With More Smokers & Drunks in 2022, Shows Global Data; Physical Abuse Rare But Up 61%

Airlines worldwide encountered more number of unruly passengers in 2022 compared to the previous year, shows the latest data released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). As per the report, one such incident was reported for every 568 flights in 2022, compared to one per 835 flights in 2021.

Non-compliance with flying rules, verbal abuse and intoxication ranked high in the kind of poor behaviour displayed by such fliers around the world last year. Cases of physical abuse were rare but showed an alarming increase of 61% over 2021 with one such incident being reported every 17,200 flights.

“The increasing trend of unruly passenger incidents is worrying. Passengers and crew are entitled to a safe and hassle-free experience on board,” said IATA deputy director general Conrad Clifford.

“While our professional crews are well-trained to manage unruly passenger scenarios, it is unacceptable that rules in place for everyone’s safety are disobeyed by a small but persistent minority of passengers. There is no excuse for not following the instructions of the crew,” he added.

Although non-compliance incidents initially fell after the Covid-19 mask mandates were removed on most flights across countries, the frequency began to increase again throughout 2022 and ended the year around 37% higher over 2021, said the data.

“The most common examples of non-compliance were smoking of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapes and puff devices in the cabin or lavatories, failure to fasten seatbelts when instructed, exceeding the carry-on baggage allowance or failing to store baggage when required and consumption of own alcohol on board,” said the report.

“No one wants to stop people from having a good time when they go on holiday. But we all have a responsibility to behave with respect for other passengers and the crew. For the sake of the majority, we make no apology for seeking to crack down on the bad behaviour of a tiny number of travellers who can make a flight very uncomfortable for everyone else,” said Clifford.

In January, Indian aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) penalised the Tata group-owned Air India with a Rs 40 lakh fine for two separate incidents of passengers publicly urinating mid-flight. The DGCA fined Air India Rs 30 lakh fine and also imposed additional penalty of Rs 3 lakh on the director of its in-flight services for an incident in which an inebriated male passenger allegedly urinated on a woman. The DGCA also suspended the licence of the pilot-in-command of the concerned flight for three months.