Page 34 - AAA MARCH - APRIL 2014 Online Magazine

FEATURE AIR RAGE

Crackdown on Air Rage

thE intErnational air transPort and ratify the new protocol. With some to a new treaty in five years, a relatively
Association has urged governments 300 incidents of unruly behavior being short length of time for a new protocol to
to take stronger action against unruly reported each week, we urge governments be agreed.
passengers on commercial flights. to move quickly,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s By extending the jurisdiction from
The Montreal-based global airline Director General and CEO. the country of aircraft registration to
alliance agreed at a diplomatic conference A disruptive passenger is defined the destination country, the protocol
recently on changes to the Tokyo as “a passenger who fails to respect closes a loophole which allowed many
Convention of 1963, which provides the rules of conduct at an airport or on serious offences to escape legal action.
the legal framework for dealing with board an aircraft or [fails] to follow the The agreed changes give greater clarity
passengers whose unruly or otherwise instructions of the airport staff or crew to the definition of unruly behavior (such
disruptive behavior leads to violence or members and thereby disturbs the good as including the threat of or actual
threatens flight safety. order and discipline at an airport or on physical assault, or refusal to follow
The Tokyo Convention provides board the aircraft.” [ICAO Annex 17 to the safety-related instructions). There are
the legal framework for dealing with Convention on International Civil Aviation also new provisions to deal with the
passengers whose unruly or disruptive (the Chicago Convention) Security recovery of significant costs arising
behavior leads to physical assault or Safeguarding International Civil Aviation from unruly behavior.
poses a threat to the safety of a flight. Against Acts of Unlawful Interference “Unruly passengers are a very small
“This agreement is good news for (March 2011)]. minority. But unacceptable behavior
everybody who flies—passengers and Some 100 governments attended on board an aircraft can have serious
crew alike. The changes, along with the the diplomatic conference that agreed consequences for the safety of all on
measures already being taken by airlines, the changes, which will come into force board. The goal is to effectively deter
will provide an effective deterrent for when 22 states ratifythe protocol to the such behavior and ensure safe flights
unacceptable behavior on board aircraft. Tokyo Convention. The International Civil for all by making the consequences of
But governments must now follow-up on Aviation Organization (ICAO) has driven such behavior clear and enforceable,”
the success of the diplomatic conference the process through from initial proposal said Tyler.

34 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS MARCH / APRIL 2014 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM