Airlines report steep rise in disorderly passengers
September 29, 2016
According to estimates, removing unruly passengers can cost hundreds of thousands per incident. Airlines blamed long security lines, consumer advocates countered that cost-cutting measures from carriers are to blame.
Image: picture-alliance/Soren Andersson/TT via AP
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) published a report late Wednesday claiming soaring numbers of unruly passengers disrupting flights across the globe. The trade association recorded nearly 11,000 incidents of plane rage in 2015, a 17 percent increase from the previous year.
Episodes ranged from verbal abuse of cabin crew to Southwest Airlines being forced to make an emergency landing after a man started a fight with the woman in front of him when she reclined her seat.
Industry experts put the cost of having to divert a long-distance flight to eject an uncooperative passenger at around $200,000.
"The kind of behaviors that ... might be acceptable on the ground take on a completely different complexion when you're in the air," said Tom Colehan, assistant director of government and industry affairs for IATA.
"I don't think anybody knows exactly the reason driving the rise," Colehan added. "Perhaps it's just reflective of societal changes where anti-social behavior is more prevalent and perhaps more accepted."
He suggested that "frustrations" with increasingly long security lines or flight delays could explain some of incidents.
Intoxicated passengers account for nearly a quarter of incidents
The report also concluded that alcohol or drug use was a factor in at least 23 percent of the cases. Airlines have called on airport bars and restaurants to deal with unruly patrons before they make their way to the departure gate.
But consumer advocates have suggested another cause for the sharp increase in flight disruptions from passengers: Airlines implementing cost-cutting measures at the expense of customer comfort, such as trying to cram as many people as possible onto each journey.
In some cases, the distance between seats on commercial aircraft has shrunk by as much as four inches over the past few years.
"The fact that they sell alcohol at airports or on planes hasn't changed," said Charlie Leocha, chairman of Travelers United, an advocacy group. "The only variable that has changed is that they are squeezing more people on to planes than ever before."
As a preventive measure, IATA is urging countries to adopt a 2014 treaty that allows authorities to arrest unruly passengers at a plane's destination and not just in the country where the airline is registered.
es/kl (AP, Reuters)
The world's 10 most visited countries
According to the United Nation's World Tourism Organization, these are the 10 countries which received the most international tourists last year. How many of them have you visited already?
Image: picture-alliance/Bildagentur-online/Tetra
Rank 10: Russia
Some 31.3 million people visited parts of Russia last year: the birthplace of literary greats such as Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky is the world's largest country, so it's impossible to see it all in one trip. Classics include the Trans-Siberian Railway and the rich architecture of St. Petersburg and Moscow (such as its Red Square, picture), yet Russia also boasts manifold horizons for the adventurous.
Image: picture-alliance/Bildagentur-online
Rank 9: Mexico
If many of its 32.1 million visitors landed on the country's sandy beaches, there is plenty more to explore in Mexico. Mysterious temples, such as the Maya ruins in Tulum (picture), tropical jungles, the highlands of Chiapas and Spanish colonial architecture are just a few highlights; others find their thrills in the action of bustling Mexico City or by discovering spicy street food.
Image: DW/R. Krause
Rank 8: United Kingdom
It's a country where the legends of Stonehenge (picture) are just as mythical as London's cultural scene. Monarchy, Shakespeare's theater, afternoon tea and local pubs: these enduring traditions and many more have drawn 34.3 million visitors to the UK in 2015. If many of those travelers go to England, others will prefer to discover the treasures of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/English Heritage
Rank 7: Germany
With a beer at Oktoberfest or to the sound of techno in Berlin, there are many ways to celebrate in Germany. Tragically impacting the 20th century, the country's history also engages visitors through its Holocaust and Cold War memorials. The Black Forest and the Alps, along with fairy-tale palaces such as Neuschwanstein Castle (picture) also contributed to attracting 35 million visitors in 2015.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/K.J. Hildenbrand
Rank 6: Turkey
Bridging Europe and Asia, Istanbul's gems go way beyond the famous Great Mosque and the Hagia Sophia (picture). Turkey's nature, with its Mediterranean beaches and otherworldly landscapes in Cappadocia, also attracts loads of visitors - 39.5 million people came last year. However, the country's tourism is bound to sink in 2016 following terrorist attacks and tensions after a failed coup.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker
Rank 5: Italy
It's the birthplace of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance, of espresso and opera - attracting 50.7 million visitors last year. Italy's celebration of comfort food is just one reason why so many people dream of living La Dolce Vita. From Rome to Venice, Sicily to Tuscany, it is a country equally packed with cultural highlights and postcard landscapes. Shown here is the famous Roman Colosseum.
Image: Fotolia/scaliger
Rank 4: China
The world's oldest continuous civilization is also one of the fastest developing countries: there are so many reasons to visit China, as 56.9 million people did last year. From the Great Wall (picture) meandering through mountains to the Silk Road testifying to ancient dynasties, culture is built into magnificent nature. The dozens of dishes of a dim sun brunch reflect China's knack for surprises.
Image: Getty Images/L. Zhang
Rank 3: Spain
It might be clichéd to associate Spain with fiestas and flamenco, but the fiery passion they inspire still contribute to making this country the world's third most popular destination, with 68.2 million visitors in 2015. Ancient architecture - such as the Alhambra shown here - rubs elbows with artistic giants, from Picasso to Gaudi. Mouthwatering paellas and tapas also make it a foodies' paradise.
Image: picture alliance/R. Linke
Rank 2: United States
We're all familiar with American culture through films and music, but nothing beats experiencing the real thing, as did some 77.5 million visitors last year. A road trip through nature where deserts, mountains (here: the iconic Mount Rushmore), canyons and beaches line up can also lead to vibrant metropolises, where rock'n'roll, jazz and hip-hop were all born amidst modern era architecture.
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Rank 1: France
Beyond Paris' iconic landmarks, it's a country of chateaux, vineyards, museums and culinary delights. Everyday rituals, from the croissant to the apéro, belong to culture just as much as the Impressionist painters. Some 84.5 million visitors experienced the French "art de vivre" first-hand in 2015. Affected by recent terrorist attacks, will France remain the world's top destination in 2016?
