Anyone who has witnessed unruly behaviour by drunken or drugged up passengers on a flight will know how terrifying it is.
Jenny and I were on a flight to Malaga some years ago that was literally taken over by drunken yobbos roaring and shouting, stealing drink from the trolley and terrorising the cabin crew and passengers.
So it is good to see that the Irish aviation industry is launching a declaration to combat unruly passenger behaviour in airports and on flights as part of the #NotOnMyFlight campaign.
All Irish airlines and airports, An Garda Síochana, the Irish Aviation Authority, AirNav Ireland, ground handlers and international aviation organisations have all come together to tackle the issue of disruptive and dangerous behaviour, which affects passengers and staff almost every day of the year.
Specifically, the industry aims to boost its ability to ban passengers through no-fly lists, ensure Gardai are informed of all criminal activity, enhance training for cabin crew and improve communication to passengers to prevent unruly behaviour.
There has been a three-fold increase in passenger unruly behaviour reported between 2019 and 2023. This can include intoxication, aggressive or inappropriate behaviour as well as not following the commands of flight crew, who are there to ensure passenger safety.
The declaration sets out how the aviation industry aims to combat the issue of unruly behaviour on flights. The vast majority of passengers comply with instructions and show respect to staff and other passengers.
However, the signatories of this Joint Declaration recognise the need to actively promote good passenger conduct due to the adverse impact that disruptive and unruly behaviour can have on the safety of a flight and passenger experience.
The signatories of the joint declaration will not tolerate any behaviour that has the potential to disrupt the passenger experience, impact the safety of the cabin crew and airport staff or create a safety risk to the aircraft and those on board the flight. This includes physical and sexual assault, threatening and abusive behaviour and generally disruptive acts.
Assistant Commissioner, DMR of An Garda Síochána, Angela Willis, welcomed the Declaration saying:
“We all want to ensure that air travel is pleasant and most importantly safe for all users. While the vast majority of people that use air travel have the highest regard for fellow passengers, unfortunately there are a small minority whose behaviour at airports or on aircraft can have a significant impact on the experience and safety of other passengers or flight crew.
“An Garda Síochána is delighted to sign this declaration and to work with our partners to combat disruptive and dangerous behaviour which will not be tolerated.”
A spokesperson for Ryanair said: “Ryanair is pleased to support this Irish aviation industry declaration to combat unruly passenger behaviour on aircraft. The safety and wellbeing of our crew and passengers is Ryanair’s No.1 priority and we try to eradicate unruly behaviour on board our aircraft. We will continue to work closely with An Garda Síochána, the IAA, Irish Airports and the wider aviation industry to eliminate all forms of unruly behaviour in airport terminals and on board our aircraft.”
Kenny Jacobs, CEO of DAA, the operator of Dublin and Cork airports:
“We’ve great passengers at Dublin and Cork airports, but like every airport in the world there’s sometimes a few bad eggs whose behaviour impacts everyone. We want our airports to be enjoyable and stress-free for passengers and we’re pleased to see the sector coming together to tackle the issue of unruly and dangerous behaviour. Everyone needs to play their part and daa will continue to work closely with our Airport Police teams, our airline partners and An Garda Síochána to ensure unruly passengers are dealt with and our airports are safe and enjoyable places for all.”
Lynn Embleton, Chief Executive of Aer Lingus commented on the charter:
“At Aer Lingus we put safety first, there is nothing more important. We understand that a comfortable and respectful environment is key to ensuring your journey is a pleasant experience. Aer Lingus does not tolerate unruly behaviour of any kind, and in the rare cases where unruly behaviour does occur, we have strict measures in place to ensure that the safety and comfort of our customers and crew is maintained.”
Jim Gavin, Chief Operations Officer of the Irish Aviation Authority said: “Summertime is one of aviation’s busiest period. With millions of passengers travelling through Irish airports during this period, we are reminding people of their responsibilities when travelling on aircraft. We will not tolerate any behaviour that has the potential to disrupt the passenger experience, impact the safety of the cabin crew and airport staff or create a safety risk to the aircraft and those on board the flight.”
