Disruptive Behaviour In-Flight
n recent years, in-flight incidences of behaviour is said to be the attitude of
I
disruptive behaviour, including the “...the warning signs the cabin crew. Ironic isn’t it?
use of mobile phones when The first impression a passenger
prohibited, smoking on board aircraft of a possible act of creates when boarding an aircraft is
and acts of violence due to excessive important; likewise the first impression
alcohol consumption, have risen aggression can be that the crew make. The crew set the
significantly. Such unruly behaviour not standard for the entire flight with their
only disturbs other passengers, but it also recognised by an greeting and treatment of passengers
has an impact on the safety of the flight. who may be experiencing pre-flight
Dealing with unruly passengers in- examination of body stress. Flight attendants are known to
flight and later punishing them is one be good profilers by instinct and, as
thing, but the industry and commercial language, tone of such, they should be trained to
airlines aim must be to prevent these recognise and defuse potentially
incidents from occurring in the first voice and facial difficult situations.
place and the only way to do this is to A passenger is more than a seat
try to understand what triggers the expressions...” number. Cabin crew must take the time
disruptive behaviour. to consider the various pre-flight stress
There is no single reason for disruptive that passengers may be experiencing,
behaviour. There are contributing factors resources of the ground-based showing empathy when necessary, and
that can be encountered in the three security services. should be trained to deal with
journey stages: pre-flight, in-flight and The warning signs of a possible act of argumentative (potentially disruptive)
post-flight. aggression can be recognised by an passengers and resolve such situations
examination of body language, tone of through communication skills, while
Pre-flight voice and facial expressions; posture and maintaining the situation at a
gestures can give invaluable clues as to a controllable level.
The stress of getting to the airport, the passenger’s state of mind and, as such,
fear of flying, long check-in and play a role in preventing potential In-flight
security queues, wrong seat troublemakers from boarding a flight.
allocations, delays, alcohol Airport authorities and handling It is not only essential that an airline has
consumption, narcotics usage, agencies should adopt training a training programme addressing
smoking bans, the large number of programmes to make their staff aware disruptive passenger management, it is
people in confined spaces for long haul that disruptive behaviour can be also essential that its employees believe
flights, problems with authority figures, deadly if allowed to take place in the in the system being taught, and
and even the cabin atmosphere are all air. Ground staff should be trained to appreciate that the time spent in the
issues that can impact passenger have a better understanding of pre- classroom is worthwhile and truly
behaviour. Stress factors are increased flight disruptive behaviour triggers and operationally useful. Investing in training
by a lack of information provided by the to improve their communication skills programmes that cover CRM, situational
industry to the passenger; this is often to manage incidents or, at the very awareness, communication skills, team
the case with a delayed flight least, to prevent their being part of the work and customer-oriented service can
departure. problem. Furthermore, a decision by extinguish the flames of confrontation.
Rightly or wrongly industry-generated ground staff not to allow a potentially Despite our best efforts and
stress instigators can bring out of the disruptive passenger to board should regardless as to the training provided,
worst in some people. The tendency to be supported both in practice and by incidences of disruptive behaviour will
accept that disruptive behaviour is an legislation. Every passenger and occur and, when they do, the response
in-flight concern and, as such, should crewmember has the right to be must be appropriate. One of the key
be solved onboard should be transported safely without being considerations will be determining
abandoned. Check-in counters, airport subject to a threat caused by whether it is a genuinely disruptive
concourses, security checkpoints, disruptive passenger. passenger or an act designed to
lounges and boarding gates should be Flight attendants are normally trained distract us, whilst others take control
considered as filter points that have a to consider their company’s image and of the aircraft.
role to play in identifying and, thereby, passenger satisfaction whilst performing Airlines should have a “Zero Tolerance
solving the potential problem before it their duties yet, regardless, they should Policy”, backed up by a training
affects the safety and security of an also be thinking of safety above all else programme for aircrew to help them
aircraft in-flight. as that is the reason they are deployed recognise and defuse difficult situations.
Ignorance in identifying suspect in the first place. Whilst the For handling violent aggressive or abusive
behaviour and a failure to take management of disruptive passenger passengers, verbal and physical self
appropriate precautions at the airport incidents can detract from defence skills, pressure point control
simply passes the problem on to the crewmembers ability to focus on such techniques and the use of restraint
aircrew who are left to manage the safety duties and thereby jeopardise the devices should emphasised in cabin and
outcome at 35,000 ft. in a pressurised entire flight, it is also true to say that one technical crew initial and recurrent
environment without the tools or of the major triggers for disruptive training programmes. Associated
Aviationsecurityinternational April 2009 www.asi-mag.com 27
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