IATA: Unruly Passenger Incidents on the Rise

ISTANBUL – The rate of unruly passenger incidents increased in 2022 compared to 2021, as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported during its 79^th Annual General Meeting in Istanbul, Türkiye.

Statistics presented by IATA show that one unruly incident was reported for every 568 flights in 2022, up from one per 835 flights in 2021. Non-compliance, verbal abuse, and intoxication ranked among the most common incidents.

Physical abuse incidents remain very rare, but these had an alarming increase of 61% over 2021, occurring once every 17,200 flights.

The association is calling for more states to subscribe to the Montreal Protocol 2014 (MP14), which extends the reach of states to prosecute passengers involved in offenses and acts on board aircraft. To date, some 45 states comprising 33% of international pax traffic have ratified MP14 so far.

Conrad Cliford, Deputy Director general, IATA during the presentation of the Regulatory Agenda during the AGM 2023 in Istanbul, Türkiye. (Photo Credits: Natalia Mroz/IATA)

"Ready to Prosecute"

“In the face of rising unruly incident numbers, governments and the industry are taking more serious measures to prevent unruly passenger incidents. States are ratifying MP14 and reviewing enforcement measures, sending a clear message of deterrence by showing that they are ready to prosecute unruly behavior,” said Conrad Clifford, Deputy Director General, IATA.

IATA also calls for greater collaboration between airlines and ground partners (airport authorities, duty-free shops, and dining and drinking venues in the airports) to exchange best practices and provide training to staff to de-escalate incidents.

https://twitter.com/IATA/status/1665351328573341696?s=20

“No one wants to stop people from having a good time when they go on holiday—but we all have a responsibility to behave with respect for other passengers and the crew. For the sake of the majority, we make no apology for seeking to crack down on the bad behavior of a tiny number of travelers who can make a flight very uncomfortable for everyone else,” Clifford said.

https://airwaysmag.com/iata-hearing-appeal-schiphol-cap/

Featured Image: Passengers board a Delta Airlines aircraft at Yokota Air Base, Japan; March 12, 2011. The aircraft was diverted to Yokota AB from Narita International Airport after an 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse) (Released).