Vaping ‘driving worrying surge in number of air rage incidents on flights’
Rate of incidents involving unruly travellers rose by nearly a third last year compared with 2022, new figures show
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Vaping is driving a surge in the number of passengers causing disruption on flights, new figures show.
The rate of incidents involving unruly travellers rose by nearly a third last year compared with 2022, according to global airline body the International Air Transport Association (Iata).
Causes of air rage often involve passengers not complying with flight rules, verbally abusing crew, or being drunk.
Iata reported that passengers using vapes – a type of e-cigarette – in an aircraft cabin or toilet is among the most common example of non-compliance with regulations.
Other common issues include a failure to fasten seatbelts when instructed, failing to store baggage when required, and consuming alcohol taken on board.
One incident of disorder was reported for every 568 flights around the world last year, up from one in every 835 in 2021.
The increase came as air rage was expected to decline with the axing of rules around mask-wearing.
Passengers and crew are entitled to a safe and hassle-free experience
Iata deputy director-general Conrad Clifford said: “The increasing trend of unruly passenger incidents is worrying.
“Passengers and crew are entitled to a safe and hassle-free experience on board. For that, passengers must comply with crew instructions.
“While our professional crews are well trained to manage unruly passenger scenarios, it is unacceptable that rules in place for everyone’s safety are disobeyed by a small but persistent minority of passengers.
“There is no excuse for not following the instructions of the crew.”
Iata is calling for more countries to prosecute passengers for causing disorder on flights regardless of where a plane has departed from.
Mr Clifford added: “For the sake of the majority, we make no apology for seeking to crack down on the bad behaviour of a tiny number of travellers who can make a flight very uncomfortable for everyone else.”
Balvinder Bir, national officer for civil aviation at union Unite, said: “Sadly this report will ring all too true with Unite’s members in aviation.
“Before the pandemic there was a major problem with unruly and abusive passengers on planes, and the problem certainly hasn’t improved as the industry returns to normal.”