The appeal from pilots’ union BALPA comes after a rise in disruptive passenger incidents in recent years, many as a result of excessive alcohol intake before their flights.
According to figures from the Civil Aviation Authority, the number of incidents of disruptive behaviour jumped 600 per cent between 2012 and 2016.
BALPA warns that disruptive passengers are not only a nuisance but a safety concern. And it says that said those who cause problems should face the full force of the law.
BALPA head of flight safety Dr Rob Hunter said: “BALPA doesn’t want to ruin people’s fun, but the growing trend in drunken disruptive behaviour is concerning.
“Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol is dangerous: should there be an incident, someone who is severely inebriated might not be able to follow the instructions given to them, or hold up an evacuation.
“If a flight has to be diverted as a result of an incident, this can cause misery for other passengers and costs the airlines an awful lot of money.
“We also see examples of passengers becoming violent. Crew should not be expected to deal with any sort of verbal or physical aggression.
“Passengers should take note – if you cause disruption to a flight through violent or drunken behaviour, you could be facing a whopping fine, or even prison time.”
