Airlines seek new rules to handle unruly travellers

You know what would work to cut back on a decent portion of this sort of behavior? Penalty Fees. One usually has to put down a credit card to get a airline ticket; violently disrupt a flight? That'll be an extra $5000 on your upcoming bill.

Triumvere- i agree with you!Just as checking in to a hotel.

Hands up anyone who has had to deal with downright abusive airline staff? Okay, I can't see your hands, but I've found its happening a lot more in the last decade.

I've had to deal with counter staff at the airlines who had no idea of their own policies, and when I pointed out they were mistaken they've threatened to delay me until I miss the flight... or even call the police in the airport (which I invited them to do, because I had been polite and was just being firm on the specifics of the contract the airline had made with me... its just good business sense).

On the flights things are getting worse too. I was on a flight a few years ago and I wanted to stretch my legs. The seat belt signs were off and the passages were clear, so I strolled up one then back down towards my seat when a flight attendant ORDERED me back to my seat (literally, he said, "Get back in your seat Sir." - and the word may have been Sir, but the tone was not). I asked why and he said I was blocking the passage. Since he was between me and my seat (blocking the passage himself) I turned around to walk up to the front then back and around to get back to my seat... and which point he put a hand on my shoulder and told me to listen to him. I pointed out the difficulty (very politely considering that he'd just technically assaulted me), and he told me not to get smart with him and that he'd have me put in handcuffs if I resisted. I asked to speak to the captain and he refused, but backed off.

I made a formal complaint to the airline and they said that they cabin crew had a RIGHT to "maintain order" on the flights.

Give these unqualified, over-worker, stressed-out, cabin crew the power to fine people or arrest them???? You have to be OUT OF YOUR MIND. I know they face some difficult situations, but there are already enough laws in place. The captain has enough authority to deal with any problems. You do NOT need to delegate the captain's authority to lowest ranking individuals on the plane.

Cabins should be subject to being recorded. Rude and unruly staff are a problem especially when they ignore the passengers paying their salaries.....

Doesn't surprise me. Society is going in this direction. People have started to misinterpret "quality customer service" as "I can do whatever I darn well please." It used to be you acted right because acting like a fool was just that, and no one wanted to be a fool. Now, you have people who assume that because they payed the price of a ticket, they own the plane (and sometimes the crew as well). It might be helpful if other passengers stood up for the crew (and themselves/the rest of the plane) and made it clear they weren't going to tolerate such behavior, but again, society says we aren't allowed to say or do anything, because then we can be sued. I'm really looking forward to my flight to the US from Narita next week; hopefully I don't have to deal with anything this stupid... happy holiday flying to everyone else as well :)

Penalty fees, and banning people for life from airline travel, at least on certain airlines.

OR, land the plane at the nearest airport, and hold that offender financially liable for all extra incurred fees, and make them legally accountable to all the other passengers.

Do this a couple of times, and people will think twice about acting like idiots on the plane.

How about they perform breath-analyzer tests before boarding as well as stop serving alcohol inside flights? Of course would not be easy with the powerful alcohol lobby objecting.

They can start with breathalyzer tests for anyone suspected drunk, and limit alcohol service per passenger to a set number of drinks depending on the length of the flight. That will solve 90% of the unruly passenger problems. If someone cant go 3-4 hours without less than one drink, they have bigger problems than simply getting to their destination.

The airlines have people by the nads so in the end they`ll most likely do whatever they feel.

Since 2007, 15,000 incidents. That sounds like a lot on the face of it but without giving us the total number of passengers, flights, miles and hours it is difficult for us to put it in perspective. 99% of flights are routine. Once an aircraft is airborne, you would be well-advised to listen to the aircrew - carefully. No law enforcement or court will back a passenger over the aircrew in a dispute post-9/11. Some crews are overzealous or just plain stupid and rude but you are better off formulating a well-crafted letter of complaint afterwards and line up some other passengers to verify your account than trying to demand "your right to drink, walk around, sing show tunes, get laid, hide in the loo, touch yourself, etc, etc..).

Back on topic please -- which is unruly passengers.

IATA how about this, once an flight departs on an INTERNATIONAL flight anything that happens on flight is then under the laws of the destination country, simply as this would be the easiest to do, no repatriating etc

One thing I loved about coming to Japan was escaping archaic alcohol laws. Tens of thousands of people ride airplanes every day and have a drink or two on the plane. You get a couple of fools on a couple of planes causing troubles once every so often, and some would ban alcohol for everyone, on every flight, all the time?

I don't even drink and that doesn't sound reasonable to me.

Flying has become so stressful for a lot of people that they probably feel too hemmed in and snap far quicker than they normally would. I personally try and avoid flying whenever possible because I just can't be bothered with all the rules, regulations and general bossy attitudes that come with it these days. I understand that safety is paramount but it's just getting silly now.

The cabin staff should all be equipped with tasers...

Yeah, great until you get tasered for complaining that the special meal you requested didn't arrive.

I've encountered very aggressive cabin attendants (although not on Japanese carriers of course).. they'd be tasering people like there's no tomorrow.

If you think it's bad now, wait until they OK cell phone use! People are going to become so frustrated and angry with the rude and inconsiderate loudmouths who don't understand the microphone is on millimeters from their lips. NO NEED TO YELL!

Airlines fining abusive airlines passengers sounds great until you consider the details. It would probably be illegal as it makes the airline plaintive, policeman, prosecutor, judge and jury with a 100% conviction rate and no chance of appeal. There is plenty of room for abuse of passengers under such circumstances. A person who starts a fight is one thing, but what about a passenger who objects to the abusive behavior of flight staff? That person could end up getting fined too. It could become that draconian. (Personal observation: in decades of flighting i have yet to see an unruly passenger but on a certain not Asian or European airline I finally dropped I experienced considerable vicious abuse from ground and flight staff--particularly when flying with my Japanese wife.) I would rather that international laws be passed on abuse by anyone on international flights. This would include passengers and staff. This would cover both violence and false reporting of violence.

Rule of law with regard to abuse onboard international flights may take a while but in the end it would be fairer for all concerned.

and a South African couple having First Class sex, according to credible media reports.

Well if you're going to do it, you may as well do it first class. Second class sex is such a letdown.

As I understand it, U.S. flights are to land at the nearest available airport if a passenger gets abusive and hand the passenger over to authorities at the gate. On a trans-Pacific or trans-Atlantic flight, you are going have a hard time continuing to your destination with your existing boarding pass if the plane has to make an unscheduled stop due to you making a "southbound end of a northbound donkey" out of yourself.

I think the alcoholcontrole is a very good one, but it will be very difficult to implement. Thing is, there are no rules against alcohol and to give everyone an alcohol test will take a lot of time. But its a good first step. The rest like a guy stealing wine and locking himself up in the toilet and the couple having sex is just douchebag behavior which should be punished with a hefty fine or banned from flying. period. zero tolerance.

A credit card bond sounds like a great idea, but isn't it just buying the right to misbehave?

Blacklisting (on whatever the airline alliance is) might be much more effective. Pair it with a 'name and shame' clause forfeiting offenders' rights to privacy?

Create an International Airlines No Fly List. Not a government list, a separate list with face identification. The next time the person buys a ticket, he or she accepts the loss of future flights with no legal recourse after the first offense. If the person walks into the airport, security escorts him or her out of the building. Get tough with the carry-on too. Cell phones use in the cabins will be exciting, especially with alcohol consumption. The flight attendants will need striped shirts and a whistle to ref the altercation. Good luck.

Hands up anyone who has had to deal with downright abusive airline staff? Okay, I can't see your hands, but I've found its happening a lot more in the last decade.

Oh yeah, definitely. I hate western airline's staff. I haven't any troubles with Asian airline's staff though, they are usually great. But the western airlines I ride (which granted are few) are usually filled with bitter, 50's plus fat women with an attitude to match their dress size.

The cabin staff should all be equipped with tasers...

And who decides who gets charged, and how much they pay? And would be the method be to dispute these charges? Sorry but that's not a realistic proposal at all.

Just get every airline worker to wear Google Glass or some type of optical recording device so evidence is continually recorded and can be submitted in court or to settle disputes if need be.