Disruptive Airline Passengers
The International Federation of Airline Pilots Association Security Committee estimates that, since 1995, the number of disruptive passengers has increased 400%. A reasonable question to ask would be: is the cause of this a change in human behavior patterns, something the airlines are doing or not doing, or factors as yet undetermined? A second reasonable question would be: what are the airlines doing about protecting other passengers and their own staffs?
The answer to the first question is that there are two causes. They are that:
Airline travel has become, as the author of the report states, cheap enough for everyone to travel; he compares it to taking the bus. This down-market slide means it is not longer a luxury, calling for people's best behavior.
Human behavior has changed, with -- apparently -- more people being:
Pathologically narcissistic with exaggerated feelings of entitlement
Pathologically oppositional to authority
Operating under one of several psychological conditions that may lead to inappropriate behaviors up to and including assault and battery. Those conditions include:
Fear of flying; fear...
Those behaviors are:
Excessive alcohol consumption
Taking medications
Being addicted to smoking
Of course, none of these alone, with the possible exception of medications that may have unpredictable effects, especially when combined with alcohol or stress or when taken incorrectly, will make a passenger disruptive and cause problems for the crew. Rather, the activities must be engaged in by someone capable of acting out of any of the psychological conditions mentioned above. But when that is the case (and at other times; these are not the only -- just the major identified -- reasons passengers become disruptive), then the crew must be able to take appropriate action to safeguard the aircraft, the other passengers and the crew. So far, the author seems to say, attempts…
