AIR RAGE SPIKE: IT’S THE DRINK
The soaring number of air rage incidents on British airlines in recent years is being caused by one factor far more than any other, experts say ... alcohol
THE number of air rage incidents on UK airlines has quadrupled over the past three years, it has been revealed.
There were 386 dangerous incidents in 2015, compared to 114 in 2014 and 85 in 2013, according to figures seen by BBC Radio 5 live.
The statistics, compiled by the Civil Aviation Authority, come after budget airline Jet2.com banned the sale of alcohol before 8am on its flights as part of a commitment to tackle disruptive behaviour.
Jet2.com managing director Phil Ward said 22 passengers had been issued lifelong bans this year.
He said the aviation industry should adopt a “banned by one, banned by all” policy to deter bad behaviour.
“I think it would act as a very strong deterrent and in fact there is some work with all the airlines together going on to bring that to the table, to see if that can be correctly arranged between us all,” he said.
Ward said problems were often caused by passengers drinking ahead of their flights in airport bars.
“You can see it every day where people are drinking pints at six in the morning,” he said.
“I’m not trying to spoil people’s holidays at all but it’s not normal to drink a pint at six in the morning and that then manifests itself on-board the aeroplane, where the alcohol takes a greater effect.”
Jet2.com announced it had banned alcohol on early-morning flights last month.