Ban on alcohol ‘on table’ as aviation sector targets unruly passengers

A ban on serving alcohol on flights could be considered as a means to reduce the number of incidents of disruptive passenger behaviour, an Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) official has said.

The safety of a European flight is compromised by unruly or disruptive passengers every three hours and an escalation of such incidents in recent years has promoted the Irish aviation sector to work together to curb bad behaviour in the air. At least once a month an in-flight situation reaches a point that sees a plane having to make an emergency landing.

Unruly behaviour can include intoxication, aggressive or inappropriate behaviour as well as not following the commands of flight crew, who are there to protect passenger safety.

Paul Brandon, the IAA's head of corporate affairs, said it is accepted that alcohol was a contributory factor in a large number of these incidents, but the initial focus of the 'Not On My Flight' campaign would be to raise awareness of the actions that will be taken against disruptive passengers.

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When asked on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland if aviation authorities would consider banning alcohol on flights, Mr Brandon said “we will see if there is a need for further action.

‘On the table’

“It is absolutely on the table, but our preference is to focus on the awareness of the risk if they disrupt a flight,” he said.

Ryanair, Aer Lingus, all the main airports, the Commission for Aviation Regulation and other airlines have signed a joint declaration pledging to work to prevent and minimise disruptive incidents on flights.

They have agreed to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour where safety is put at risk and they have made a commitment to the responsible sale and consumption of alcohol. The declaration also promotes the ongoing education of and communication with passengers to continue to raise awareness of the risks associated with aggressive behaviour.

The move comes as figures show there has been a dramatic increase in the number of disruptive passenger incidents on flights across Europe.

According to data published by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), every three hours the safety of a flight within the EU is threatened by passengers demonstrating unruly or disruptive behaviour.

Growing concern

Almost three quarters of aviation safety incidents across the EU involve some form of physical aggression and safety is compromised by unruly passengers on 1,000 flights in Europe per year due to assaults and alcohol related offenses.

Mr Brandon said there was growing concern at the increasing frequency and severity of these incidents.

“Between 2017 and 2018, the number of reported incidents of disruptive passengers on board flights across Europe increased by a third. This is worrying as it shows an increasing trend and can have a direct impact on both the safety of crew and passengers,” he said.

“Even though the number of unruly passengers is small considering the total number of people flying, the impact of their actions can have a disproportionate effect both on the smooth operation of the flight and more importantly on its safety.”