Proposal for National Blacklist of Abusive Air Passengers
Abusive air passengers could face a national blacklist preventing them from flying with any airline under a new government proposal.
The initiative would enable airlines to share information about disruptive passengers and potentially restrict their access to flights.
Incidents of rowdy, problematic, and drunken behaviour tend to increase during the busy summer travel period. Currently, if a passenger is banned by one airline, they may still book flights with another.
"Everyone should be able to enjoy a pint at the airport, but antisocial behaviour on flights is totally unacceptable," a government source told the BBC. "It threatens the safety of passengers and crew, and disrupts hard-earned holidays."
Officials from the Department for Transport will meet with airlines this month to discuss how the proposal could be implemented.
The national database could be jointly managed by the government and the airline industry.
If enacted, the measure would not require changes to current law, although it remains unclear how the plan would comply with existing data protection regulations, including GDPR.
At present, sharing passenger details is prohibited under GDPR, meaning a disruptive passenger banned by one airline could still book with another.
"There are already tough laws in place to deal with offences committed on flights, but we are exploring with industry how we can better address this issue, ensuring we crack down on people who persistently cause chaos," the government source added.
"Everyone should be able to fly without fuss."
Background on Disruptive Passenger Incidents
The issue of disruptive passengers has been a concern for airlines for some time, with criminal prosecutions pursued in severe cases.
In April, a court heard that drunk passenger Stephen Blofield, 61, became so abusive that the Ryanair pilot was forced to abort his first landing on a flight from Krakow to Bristol Airport in November last year. Blofield was sentenced to 10 months in jail.
In February, Jet2 banned two passengers from the airline for life following a mid-air brawl on a flight from Turkey to Manchester. The airline described the disruptive behaviour as "appalling," which led to an emergency landing in Brussels. The men were arrested there for intentional assault and battery.
Industry Response
Airlines UK, representing the airline industry, welcomed the proposal and stated it would collaborate with the government on its development.
"Additional measures for the most serious cases of disruption, including the creation of a national ban list, is an important next step ensuring a tiny minority of passengers cannot disrupt air travel for the majority," a spokesperson said.
