Air rage
Air rage refers to disruptive or violent behavior exhibited by passengers aboard aircraft, which can jeopardize the safety and comfort of both crew and other passengers. This phenomenon has been increasingly documented since the 1990s, driven by factors such as flight delays, poor communication from airlines, and the stresses of crowded travel environments. Alcohol plays a significant role in many air rage incidents, exacerbated by the effects of altitude on alcohol tolerance. Other contributing factors include interpersonal conflicts, mental health issues, and even drug use.
The COVID-19 pandemic further amplified instances of air rage, particularly related to compliance with mask mandates. Although air rage incidents were historically common, reports surged during the pandemic, with airlines experiencing thousands of incidents in recent years. Prevention measures to address air rage include stricter airline policies, crew training to manage conflicts, and improved communication with passengers about flight conditions. Overall, air rage reflects the complex interplay of emotional stressors and environmental factors associated with modern air travel.
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Subject Terms
Air rage
- DATE: 1990s forward
- TYPE OF PSYCHOLOGY: Emotion; social psychology; stress
Air rage is a general term that describes unacceptable passenger behavior on aircraft. Many causes of air rage have been documented. These include, but are not limited to, flight delays, poor airline communication, interpersonal conflicts, alcohol and drugs, stress, mental illness, and even decompression sickness. Treatments and preventions vary according to the causes.
Introduction
The term “air rage” was coined by a newspaper reporter in the 1990s to describe abnormal, aberrant, or abusive airline passenger behavior that could potentially interfere with the ability of the cabin or flight crew to perform their duties and thereby endanger the crew and other passengers or prevent the safe operation of the aircraft. The phenomenon has been increasing steadily since the late 1970s, when airlines were deregulated, and the increasing number of passengers made flights more crowded and created more delays. Incidences of passengers exhibiting abnormal, aberrant, or abusive behavior on aircraft or while embarking or deplaning have gradually increased since. In some ways, the term “air rage” is a misnomer because although it describes passengers who become enraged and act out, it is also used to describe incidents in which passengers become erratic or combative for reasons other than rage. Before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, hijacking was often considered a form of air rage, but it is now clearly recognized that hijacking is a planned, purposeful attack, whereas air rage is not. Incidents of air rage increased during the COVID-19 global pandemic when passengers were required to mask. Political differences and social strain have also increased incidences of air rage.
The very environment in which air rage occurs contributes to it. The airplane is an enclosed space with nowhere for angry, upset, or ill passengers to go or anywhere threatened passengers or crew can escape. The tight space allows for disagreements over seating and overhead compartment space, which can lead to episodes of air rage.
Researchers have found that air rage incidents from 2000 to 2020 occurred on flights from thirty-four countries. Events were most common on flights originating in the United States, followed by the United Kingdom. Australia, Spain, and Canada were nearly tied for third place. Of the 270 passengers involved in these events, more than 76 percent were male, 24 percent were British, and 22 percent were American. The year 2021 saw 5,793 reports of air rage incidents, and incidents in subsequent years still remained far higher than pre-pandemic numbers. While in 2021, there was one air rage incident for every 835 flights, in 2022, one incident was reported for every 568.
Causes
Although many passengers expect a relaxing, quick trip on an airplane, modern air travel can be stressful, with flight delays, long lines at security stations and ticket counters, and crowded, uncomfortable seating. The “classic” cases of air rage occur when passengers become stressed and irritated to a breaking point, resulting in violent, abusive behavior.
Alcohol is estimated to play a role in 50 to 75 percent of reported air rage incidents. It is difficult to come up with exact numbers due to underreporting, varying definitions of air rage, and multiple causes combining. Alcohol is served in airport bars and on flights, and it is usually free to first-class passengers. The body requires oxygen to metabolize alcohol, and the reduced oxygen levels at altitude cause people consuming one or two drinks to become more intoxicated than they would at sea level. Incidents have been reported in which intoxicated passengers, after their requests for additional alcohol were refused by flight attendants, became enraged and assaulted crew members and other passengers. In May 2021, Southwest Airlines suspended alcohol sales on its flights after a flight attendant was assaulted. Southwest reinstated alcohol sales in February 2023.
Prescription and illegal drugs can also be causes of air rage incidents. There have been cases in which people with psychotic disorders left their prescription medications in their checked baggage or had them confiscated by security, and then they subsequently suffered psychotic episodes on their flights. Passengers under the influence of illegal drugs such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and phencyclidine (PCP) have threatened the safety of their flights with combative, erratic behavior. Nicotine is also a drug, and more than 9 percent of air rage cases from 2000 to 2020 involved passengers trying to smoke on airplanes where smoking is prohibited. These events have been attributed to nicotine withdrawal.
Undiagnosed mental illnesses have contributed to instances of air rage. Passengers who variously threatened to blow up aircraft, attempted to kill flight crews, or took over the cockpit and tried to steer the aircraft into the ground were later diagnosed with conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, or severe anxiety. One passenger, on a flight home from a scuba diving trip in the Caribbean, became severely depressed and attempted suicide on the aircraft. Later, it was found that his mental condition was caused by decompression sickness, a result of the scuba diving. Approximately 22 percent of air rage incidents involve mental illness or instability.
Air rage has become more common in the twenty-first century and increased following the COVID-19 global pandemic that began in 2020. While US airlines typically reported 100 to 150 cases annually, in 2021, the number spiked to over 5,700 reports. Many of these events involved passengers who did not want to comply with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) mask requirements. Following the pandemic, while numbers decreased from a peak in the early 2020s, incidence of air rage remained high. As more passengers began to resume travel, air rage incidents over seating and overhead space became prevalent. Large problems with the computer systems of individual airlines often caused flight delays, leading to incidents of air rage. Finally, in July 2024, a global outage impacting computers running Microsoft Windows affected airlines worldwide, leading to days of flight delays, cancellations, and frustrations.
Prevention
It is very difficult to predict where or when air rage will occur or to identify an individual who might be an air rage perpetrator, and several proposals have been made to reduce or prevent incidences of air rage. One is for airlines to have a zero-tolerance policy toward air rage and prosecute cases of air rage more stringently. Another is to limit or remove alcohol from flights and to prevent intoxicated passengers from boarding aircraft. A few airlines based in countries outside the United States have nicotine gum, pills, and patches available for the use of passengers who are smokers.
Several airlines have begun training their flight crews to deal with angry passengers to prevent incidents before they happen. German airlines allow their crews to carry handcuffs to restrain passengers if necessary. One international aviation agency has requested that closed-circuit cameras be installed in aircraft cabins so that the flight crew can monitor any disruptive activities in the cabin from the security of the flight deck.
Information and education may also help passengers. Some passengers get upset by delays they do not understand, so if airlines supply passengers with updates and information on flight conditions and delays, this could help prevent dissatisfaction from turning into rage. In addition, helping travelers understand that they should bring essential medications on board rather than check them in their luggage would ensure that these medications are available to passengers during the flight if necessary.
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