I don’t want to dig up the old alcohol debate again but I thought you may be interested to know that in the first 9 months of this year there were 304 abusive drunken passenger reports submitted. This is just from the few UK airlines that report through the BASIS system so there were probably many more in the UK alone. I know of one airline which has so far had to refuse return travel or impose a ban on 69 passengers in the same period.
By: greekdude1 - 27th October 2002 at 08:08
RE: Abuse in the cabin
Olympic still has a smoking section on their long-hauls. Believe me, a coupe would happen in Athens, Thessaloniki, and every other major city in the world with an extensive Greek population that is served by OA, if they ever decided to completely ban smoking on their flights.
GD1
By: KabirT - 25th October 2002 at 16:03
RE: Abuse in the cabin
Aeroflot still lets smoking in its cabins i think.
By: GZYL - 25th October 2002 at 13:00
RE: Abuse in the cabin
“The air has improved??” LOL!!!
Well, when the aircraft manufacturers decided they could get away with recycling 50% of the air, I guess smoking on flights had to go.
By: forwardjumpseat - 25th October 2002 at 11:21
RE: Abuse in the cabin
I think you’re right Dave, I agree. I’m cabin crew, a Purser with a large UK airline and I have had to deal with several incidents of air rage in many different forms. The most common is as a result of a passenger having had too much to drink. However, that is by no means the major cause. You’re right when you say the whole experience of air travel can be stressful. For some it is the greatest thrill, for others it is as you say a means of getting from A to B but for a few it can be a dreaded and possibly fearful experience. I am often quite surprised at the people I encounter that are frightened of flying. Normally they are businessmen that have to fly regularly as part of their job. These are the ones that you need to watch. The vast majority of flights are totally event free but every now and then when things have gone wrong for them. For example, they’re late at the airport and didn’t get the seat they want, there’s a huge line at check-in, the flight’s delayed etc etc. By the time we get them on board they have been through a process that they find stressful in itself. We then sit on stand for another hour while we wait for a slot, he’s worried about his next meeting then he has to contend with a flight that he really doesn’t want to take. I have seen this type many times, generally you can get around them and there’s no problem but sometimes they kick off. I don’t get as much trouble as the female crew as I am older (early 40’s) 6ft 2in and I don’t scare easily but having somebody shouting and screaming at you, threatening you, all at 39,000 feet in the confines of an aircraft cabin is quite alarming!!!!
I have a lot of patience and understanding with frightened passengers, some want a lot of attention, others just want to be left alone. I can’t imagine what it must be like to have to face something you are frightened of, regularly. I hate snakes but luckily don’t come face to face with them often! Fear is not the only reason for air rage though and often the cause is not obvious at the time. We never know what is happening in somebodies life, a delayed flight could be the last straw for them.
Having said all of that, these events are rare and by far the vast majority of flights are ok.
Happy and safe flying.
By: KabirT - 7th October 2002 at 16:13
RE: Abuse in the cabin
well…if they need drinks to relax themselves because they are scared of flying…its better they travel by sea than air, if they are drunk and even if somehow get into the cockpit there will be big trouble…. atleast it will take them months to sink a ship.
By: Simmer - 7th October 2002 at 16:06
RE: Abuse in the cabin
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 07-10-02 AT 04:06 PM (GMT)]But why do people need alcohol, most people can go through a working day without a shot of the juice, can’t they?
Perhaps these drunks are nervous of flying, they drink to relax. However they drink too much, and they get scared about the whole flying experience, they get defence, and in some cases get abusive and/or violent.
The answer is use a herbal remedy (I wasn’t thinking of stuff you inhale btw) or get knocked out, or use a different method of transport if you cant handle it.
Sorry but with everything thats happened in the last year I think such behaviour is totally unacceptable.
Simmer
By: dcfly - 5th October 2002 at 10:04
RE: Abuse in the cabin
Like most things in our society we look for blame rather than the truth. A person loses his or her cool on an aircraft and because alcohol is smelt on them the blame falls sqarely on that. There are other contributary factors at work here, stress for example, not everybody thinks flying is the ultimate experience, I certainly dont , but its a means of getting from A to B quickly, so they have a couple of drinks before they board just to calm their nerves( because they cant have a smoke?).
Then there’s the take off, personally I think its the best part of flying, their nerves are now on edge, their body’s tense, then the aircraft levels out, the warning lights go out and refreshments are offered, ah! another couple of drinks’ll do, all inhibitions gone, got to let the tension out, then POW!!! they lose it……….Fortunately this scenario doesn’t happen on every flight,in my opinion alcohol is the end product of a series of events that finally leads to air rage .
mines a large scotch(isn’t that ironic!) Dave
By: dcfly - 5th October 2002 at 09:32
RE: Abuse in the cabin
The air has improved???????????????
mines a large scotch
Dave
By: Bhoy - 4th October 2002 at 21:35
RE: Abuse in the cabin
the no smoking was introduced to improve the air…
But it wasn’t just the front and back of the a/c… it was the back of each cabin, so if you even if you were at the front of economy, you were gatting smoke from Business cabin right in front…
By: KabirT - 4th October 2002 at 12:10
RE: Abuse in the cabin
Out of those 304 even if one goes a little extremem it can be fatal. This will be a tough debate…as if they ban alcohol from flights it create a big roar from the passengers.
By: A330Crazy - 4th October 2002 at 11:59
RE: Abuse in the cabin
Why was the no smoking rule put into play? They used to have the aircraft seperated into smoking (at the back) and non smoking (at the front and middle).
By: dcfly - 4th October 2002 at 08:55
RE: Abuse in the cabin
Good point!!
mines a large scotch
Dave
By: Hand87_5 - 4th October 2002 at 07:56
RE: Abuse in the cabin
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 04-10-02 AT 07:56 AM (GMT)]How many of them were pricks?
By: dcfly - 3rd October 2002 at 23:47
RE: Abuse in the cabin
I still stand by what I originally said on this subject,its not all down to alcohol the no smoking rule must contribute to some aggressive behaviour. It would be interesting to know just how many of those 304 “drunks” were smokers !
mines a large scotch
Dave
By: A330Crazy - 3rd October 2002 at 19:44
RE: Abuse in the cabin
But then again, thats 304 out of the tens of thousands of people who fly. Like some said in the drinking debate, why should alcohol be banned just because of these few people?
Not all people behave like this after having a drink.
By: T5 - 3rd October 2002 at 19:39
RE: Abuse in the cabin
interesting…
I think this sort of thing is completely unacceptable and those causing the trouble deserve what they get.
Thanks for those stats.
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October 3, 2002 at 7:17 pm