The worst airline passengers are probably not the ones you think

In 2015, there was one unruly passenger for every 1,205 flights, the International Air Transport Association reported earlier this month.

In which case, quite what constitutes an 'unruly passenger incident' is beyond us - there seems to be one every flight.

It's technically defined as including:

violence against crew and other passengers, harassment and failure to follow safety instructions instructions.

'Being a proper d---head with loud headphones and an inconsiderate attitude to stretching and snoring,' should also be in there. Anyway.

The below chart from Statista shows that unruly passenger numbers are on the increase:

Interestingly, alcohol only featured in 23 per cent of these cases, and only 11 per cent of these reports indicated physical aggression.

Given the stereotype, you'd be forgiven for thinking that alcohol featured more.

Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO, said:

Unruly and disruptive behavior is simply not acceptable. The anti-social behavior of a tiny minority of customers can have unpleasant consequences for the safety and comfort of all on board. The increase in reported incidents tells us that more effective deterrents are needed. Airlines and airports are guided by core principles developed in 2014 to help prevent and manage such incidents. But we cannot do it alone. That’s why we are encouraging more governments to ratify the Montreal Protocol 2014.

HT Quartz

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