Air rage ‘ sparked by sight of rich in first- class seats’
AIR rage is often triggered by a “class war” among passengers, a study revealed yesterday.
Economy class customers can be driven to fury by envy of those in first class – especially if they have to board the plane at the front and walk past well- heeled fliers to reach the cheap seats.
Meanwhile the sight of lessprivileged passengers can trigger a superior attitude among first class passengers, leading to more bad behaviour.
A report on the findings in the academic journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences said passenger aircraft are “a social microcosm of class- based society”.
Researchers studied several years of air rage incidents on a major airline’s databases.
Researchers Katherine DeCelles of Toronto University and Michael Norton of Harvard University wrote: “The chances of an onboard economy incident are 3.84 times higher when first class is present.
“Front- boarding of planes predicted 2.18 times greater odds of an economy cabin incident than middle- boarding.
“Front boarding of planes predicted 11.86 greater odds of a first class air rage incident than boarding from the middle.”
The study found that 72 per cent of air- rage offenders were male and 83 per cent were in economy. Drunkenness accounted for one in incidents, slightly more for belligerent behaviour.
Making economy passengers board through first class was found to reinforce a sense of social superiority among the moreprivileged fliers, who make “downward social comparisons to the disadvantaged”.
The report said: “Higher social class individuals are more selfish, entitled and scornful – psychological states that foster antisocial behaviour.”
First class air rage incidents tended to be “belligerent behaviour, involving a passenger’s strong anger”, whereas economy incidents “were more likely to result from “emotional out- three than bursts”. This, said the researchers, reflected links between high status and displays of anger and between low status and “reduced self control”.
They concluded “We demonstrate that both physical and situational factors present in everyday environments are associated with dangerous class- specific antisocial behaviours among both the ‘ haves’ and ‘ have nots’.”
But cabin crew questioned whether the report presented the full picture and said they found drink to be the main problem on flights.
One former stewardess with a major airline said: “A sense of inequality may cause resentment – but most air rage is triggered by alcohol, especially the greater impact of alcohol at altitude.
“On top of that many people fear flying and are tired so they are tense. Alcohol can then add to that.
“The other main reason for grumpy, argumentative passengers is that they have been mishandled on the ground in, say, security or customs.
“But if they are feeling disgruntled the slightest social inequality could make them feel they are not getting a fair deal.
“So walking through first class and seeing the bigger seats and the welcoming drinks and food could breed resentment.
“If economy passengers walking through first class are still in their shorts and flip flops and are loud and boisterous, that could also trigger a reaction.”