Air rage: Passengers ‘quicker to snap’
"What do you mean no more chicken?!!!"
(CNN) — When it comes to air travel, just about everyone has a complaint, no matter which security line they use.
Passengers are tired of long lines, baggage fees and last-minute delays. Airline employees and flight attendants could do without the cranky travelers who refuse to wait patiently, turn off cell phones or stay in their seats.
Sometimes that frustration escalates into “air rage” incidents that still disturb the friendly skies post-September 11. Reported instances of unruly passengers rose internationally about 29% between 2009 and 2010, following an estimated 27% rise between 2008 and 2009, according to the International Air Transport Association, which represents about 240 airlines worldwide.
The numbers are a small part of the picture because they only include reported instances. They don’t count all the times a member of the flight crew manages to calm an anxious flier or successfully mediates disputes over seats or armrests.
In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration keeps numbers on unruly passengers who interfere with the duties of a crew member, but reporting is left to the discretion of the crew. Numbers related to security violations are not included because those cases are handled by the Transportation Security Administration, which keeps its own data….continued
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Scene from 1970 film “Airport” with Jacqueline Bisset and Helen Hayes.