Flying and Furious: How vaping has led to a rise in air rage incidents

The heyday of air travel is long gone.

Unruly passenger incidents have gotten worse, with numerous mid-air fights resulting in flight delays, verbal and physical abuse of flight attendants, and other problems.

A recent global analysis found that such incidences increased by more than a third between 2021 and 2022. The main non-compliance concern identified was smoking, including cigarettes, vaping, and others, inside the cabin.

Let’s take a closer look.

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Smoking is the main culprit

Air fury is frequently brought on by passengers who disobey flight regulations, yell at flight attendants, or are intoxicated.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) identified smoking of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vapes, and “puff devices” in the cabin or restrooms as the top non-compliance issue in its review. This was followed by failure to buckle seat belts when directed, bringing more carry-on luggage than allowed or neglecting to store it when necessary, and drinking personal alcohol while flying.

All types of electronic smoking equipment, including e-cigarettes e-pipes, e-cigars and personal vape devices, are prohibited on all flights, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

This is due to the potential for the vapour to activate the smoke detectors on the aircraft, which could result in needless alarm and confusion. Violations of this rule might land you in jail or with heavy fines. Vaping is prohibited inside most airports.

According to Livemint, in early March this year, passengers who were discovered smoking in restrooms were reported by both Indigo and Air India.

A 24-year-old lady passenger on an IndiGo flight headed to Bengaluru was detained for smoking in the lavatory. When the cabin crew found the cigarette in the trash, they doused it with water.

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On a flight headed for Delhi the day before, Air India personnel discovered a passenger smoking in the lavatory. Even before the fire alarm went off, the cabin crew had noticed smoke coming from the lavatory.

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Unruly incidents on the rise

According to the IATA, there was one unruly incident reported for every 568 flights in 2022, an increase from one for every 835 flights in 2021. It’s possible that this year won’t be any better.

For instance, an aircraft from Paris to the US was diverted to Canada on Sunday due to a hiccup that was allegedly caused by a male passenger who was intoxicated.

Thankfully, physical abuse is still a very rare occurrence, although it increased by an alarmingly large 61 per cent in 2022 compared to 2021. Only one out of every 17,200 planes had them erupt.

According to data from the US Federal Aviation Administration, 2021 was the worst year for unruly air traveller behaviour on record in US skies, with 2022 witnessing a drop.

With the data compiled from more than 20,000 reports provided by around 40 airlines, the IATA analysis, however, provides a global perspective.

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Calls for “zero tolerance” approach

The rise in incidents involving rowdy passengers is concerning. According to CNN, Conrad Clifford, the deputy director general of IATA, stated that both passengers and staff have a right to a safe and trouble-free journey.

“There is no excuse for not following the instructions of the crew.”

IATA is urging governments and the aviation sector to collaborate on a zero-tolerance policy for disruptive behaviour.

It desires that additional nations ratify the 2014 Montreal Protocol, which permits the prosecution of these lawbreaking travellers. Only 45 countries, or nearly a third of the world’s passenger traffic, have done this as of yet.

Regarding incident prevention and de-escalation, IATA also intends to promote counselling, training, and the sharing of best practices. “As the vast majority of intoxication incidents occur alcohol consumed prior to the flight, the support of airport bars and restaurants to ensure responsible alcohol consumption is particularly important,” said Clifford, as per CNN.

As more individuals embark on post-pandemic travels, this year is expected to be yet another record-breaking one for travel.

He added, “For the sake of the majority, we make no apology for seeking to crack down on the bad behaviour of a tiny number of travellers who can make a flight very uncomfortable for everyone else.”

With inputs from agencies

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