DUBAI – Rowdy passengers will have a tough time now as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has ratified a global protocol that enables airport authorities to take strict action against disorderly passengers arriving in the emirate via international airlines.
After the latest development, UAE authorities will have the legal authority to take action against passengers involved in physical assault, harassment, smoking, and non-compliance with crew guidelines from May 1st.
The decision comes as UAE ratifies Montreal Protocol 2014 (MP14) which is aimed at enhancing the global legal framework for addressing bad behavior on flights. The emirate is 44th to ratify the protocol and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has welcomed the ratification of the protocol.
The protocol plugs the gap in the aviation laws that somewhat allow rowdy passengers get off the hook for minor misbehavior, regardless of the aircraft’s country of registration.
Taking strict action against the unruly passengers is essential as some of the behaviours can actually put the safety of all on board at risk. For instance, if someone opens emergency door for some sort of adventure, it can cause a catastrophe.
Incidents have been reported in the past in which passengers led to jeopardizing flight safety, cause flight delays, and disrupting flight operations.
Rowdy passengers have been a constant worry for fellow passengers. One of the most important incidents in the recent months that sent shockwaves across the world related to an Indian unruly passenger who peed on an elderly woman mid air.
The accused – who denied charges before the court – had walked away when the flight landed in India in November but the victim wrote to the Air India group chairman about the incident following which the carrier filed a police complaint on January 4. Shankar Mishra was arrested by the Delhi Police six weeks after the incident.
The woman first informed the cabin crew but they did not detain the rowdy passenger who, according to the complainant, unzipped his pants and relieved himself. Sharing her ordeal, the woman said her clothes and bag were completely soaked in urine after which the air hostess took her to the toilet where she cleaned herself.
Meanwhile, in another ‘peegate’ controversy in March, a 21-year-old Indian official was identified as having urinated on a fellow passenger onboard New York-Delhi flight. The accused is studying in the US and was under influence of alcohol. He was on American Airlines (AA-292) flight to New Delhi and was arrested after landing at the Indira Gandhi airport in New Delhi.
