Passengers behaving badly

Granted, it is hard to imagine a mid-air dust-up on board a Lockheed Constellation back in the golden days. White gloves, coats and ties were more in order as the oceans were spanned in those times.

Today the face of air travel has changed and with it the expectations of passengers. Seat pitch is continually shrinking and passengers are in far closer quarters as airlines struggle to uplift the most people for the maximum return.

As each fare generates far less yield than in better times, more bums on more seats are the order of the day.

Low-cost carriers have pared back onboard amenities even further in an attempt to offer truly low, and at times ridiculous, fares. Nearly anything beyond the seat and harness incurs a further cost once the passenger is on board and captive. Still, it is unfair to solely target low-cost carriers as the landscape of air travel has changed across the full spectrum of airlines for the majority of passengers.

Furthermore, air travel has become far more accessible to a broader range of travellers. It is no longer prohibitively expensive and is considered to be just another form of transport in the modern era. In its earliest days, air travel was an adventure, then it became a privilege and now it is just what we do to get from A to B. Dressing up to catch a flight is a rapidly-fading sentiment.

Interestingly, while the demographics of the flying public and the economy class cabin have rapidly transformed, the expectations of those who fly have not moved quite so quickly. For many, their childhood perceptions of soaring above the clouds with limitless catering and legroom to spare have persisted into the new age. Unfortunately, it’s tough to have it both ways.

It is really no surprise that lower fares have come at a cost to many of the niceties that once existed. Still there are those who expect silver service for an airfare that was less than the cab ride to the airport. When their perception collides with the reality it can make for tension and subsequent flare-ups in the cabin. However, there is more to the growing discontent than any single factor.

Alcohol continues to be an issue and too often intoxicated passengers are able to get onboard undetected. Then there are those passengers who manage to circumvent the best efforts of cabin crew and drink too much once they are on board and on their way. By whichever means they employ, an intoxicated passenger is a difficult proposition for both fellow passengers

It is hard to imagine a mid-air dust-up on board a Super Constellation back in the golden days.

and the cabin crew responsible for their care and safety. Irrational behaviour is highly undesirable in confined spaces at altitude.

Airport congestion, airborne delays and even car parking fees can all contribute to creating a hostile environment. In air travel, as in life, stresses can be cumulative and the ultimate trigger unknown. Ultimately it may be that seat leaning back too far, losing the battle for the arm-rest or a shortage of catering that sends a passenger over the edge.

That being said, these are all contributing factors, not valid excuses. Whether we are at sea level or at altitude, common decency should prevail. A degree of tolerance, courtesy and civility should always exist and in the confines of an aeroplane’s hull, these core qualities are even more critical. Yet whether we are driving on our roads or lining up at McDonalds, it’s the same – everyone is urging, pushing harder and trying to further their own interest and the rest be damned.

There are even passengers using devices to lock the passenger’s seat in front in the upright position to preserve their personal space. While one can appreciate the plight of a six-footer crammed into a tight economy seat, there is no place for imposing their will upon another passenger. Not to mention that the act of locking a seat sails very close to the Civil Aviation Act 1988 – Section 24 with regards to tampering with an aircraft.

All the while the flightcrew are confined to the flightdeck in the post-9/11 environment, out of harm’s way to ensure the safety of the majority. Meanwhile, the cabin crew are left with the unenviable task of balancing the roles of diplomat and enforcer with a growing number of discontented and aggressive passengers albeit with the full support of their flightcrew in absentia. And should anyone threaten the safe working environment of cabin crew or the safety and comfort of their fellow passengers, they should not be astounded when they are met by uniformed officers at their destination and the full force of the law brought to bear. That cheap air fare can become very expensive.

So as IATA ponders its options for addressing the issue, the discontent in the cabin continues to grow. The by-product of a less patient society thrown together in the confines of an aircraft cabin, our crews and ground staff are caught in the random cross-fire. It will be interesting to see if IATA has the answer to modifying human behaviour in the tight commercial environment of global air travel. However, regardless of its initiatives, we all need to be a little more courteous and take a long, deep breath before we start behaving badly.