Tap! Tap! Tap!
Hear that? It’s the sound of the passenger behind you banging on your seat, and if you end up in an argument over their refusal to stop, you wouldn’t be alone. A new study by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), an airline industry body, found that “unruly passenger incidents,” as they were described in a recent press release, are on the rise.
In reviewing 10,854 incidents reported to IATA by airlines worldwide last year, they found the majority of disruptive behavior involved “verbal abuse, failure to follow lawful crew instructions and other forms of anti-social behavior.” A vast number (11%) of the reports detailed “physical aggression towards passengers or crew or damage to the aircraft,” while drug or alcohol intoxication, the majority of which were “consumed prior to boarding or from personal supply without knowledge of the crew,” affected about 23% of the cases, IATA said.
Alexandre de Juniac, IATA director general and CEO, called on airlines and airports to ratify the Montreal Protocol 2014, which he said aims to streamline the legalities of handling unruly passengers. “To date, six states have ratified the Provision needed in order to have a consistent global approach to this issue,” de Juniac said.
IATA also supports a code of practice that focuses on preventing passenger intoxication, especially excessive drinking, prior to boarding. Ideally, staff in airport bars and shops should be “trained to serve alcohol responsibly” and take steps to prevent binge drinking, IATA said.
Though we can’t guarantee that you’ll have a smooth flight, there are some ways to enhance the experience, at least from your wallet’s perspective. A good place to start: travel rewards cards. Not only do some of these bad boys waive irksome baggage fees, if you play your cards right and manage them responsibly, you may earn rewards to redeem for free flights and upgrades. Just remember, a good credit score is your golden ticket to the world of rewards, so if your credit’s not up to snuff, it’s time to start beefing it up. You can see where your finances currently stand by viewing a free snapshot of your credit report on Credit.com.
Image:Â kasto80
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