Air rage crackdown backed

Majority of flights are trouble free

Proposals for tougher penalties for "air rage" offences have been agreed by MPs.

The plans would increase maximum jail sentences for endangering the safety of an aircraft from two to five years.

They would also introduce a statutory power of arrest for disruptive passengers.

The moves come in a backbench bill agreed in the Commons on Friday.

The bill, introduced by Labour MP Frank Roy, will now be assessed in the Lords.

The Motherwell and Wishaw MP's Aviation (Offences) Bill has cross party support.

Mr Roy said air rage incidents were rare but were traumatic for passengers and air crew.

He said people faced with loutish behaviour in clubs or pubs were able to step away from trouble.

Disruptive behaviour of any kind is unacceptable and we want to ensure that such incidents become rarer in future

David Jamieson
Transport Minister

But he said: "When you are in a steel tube flying at a speed of 500 mph at over 30,000 feet, the fear factor is vastly increased. There is nowhere for you to go."

Liberal Democrat Malcolm Bruce backed the bill, saying air rage was on the increase.

He said: "The lack of punishment has perhaps made people think it is a joke, a bit of fun, it's a laugh.

Reinforce

"Yet we have seen incidents where clearly crew and passengers have been put into a very serious state of fear and alarm."

The Tories' Anne McIntosh also supported the plans, but said they must also address issues such as the legal position of people who took their own alcohol onto planes and those who had been drinking heavily before boarding.

Junior Transport Minister David Jamieson said the government would support the bill, saying it would reinforce the message that "destructive or drunken" behaviour on an aircraft would not be tolerated as it could be "unpleasant or frightening".

But he said the chance of encountering air rage was "very slim" with one serious incident in every 22,000 flights.

He said: "Disruptive behaviour of any kind is unacceptable and we want to ensure that such incidents become rarer in future.

"By allowing an increase in the maximum penalty for the most serious offence and by ensuring that the police have the powers to prosecute offenders more effectively I hope this Bill will deter some of the behaviour and lead to a reduction in the number of incidents."