Alcohol abuse 'fuels airplane violence'

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by Change | 11 Dec 2008

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A major contributor to airline violence is alcohol abuse, a watchdog claims.

One of the key factors behind violent or disruptive incidents among passengers on airlines is alcohol abuse, an organisation asserts.

James Fremantle, a spokesperson for the Air Transport Users Council, a consumer watchdog for the aviation industry, claims drunken incidents have been problematic in the past.

He states the industry has become more strict about allowing those who have engaged in alcohol abuse board their craft and have restricted access to these drinks in-flight.

"We certainly would agree that they need to be careful about who they give alcohol to on board and make sure that people don't have too much," he asserts.

Mr Fremantle says alcohol abuse is more intoxicating at 30,000 feet and says it is the responsibility of passengers to ensure they do not engage in disruptive behaviour of this type, calling on users to be "responsible" and to "look out for fellow passengers".

"It's up to the passengers themselves to make sure they behave and not drink to excess when they travel," he states.

During the 2007-08 period, the number of non-serious incidents on aircraft increased by 21.7 per cent, with nearly two-thirds of these involving alcohol abuse or smoking.

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