Disruptive passengers could be banned from all flights under new Government proposal

Rowdy, abusive, and disruptive passengers could be blacklisted by all airlines under a landmark new Government proposal.

Now, the last thing anyone wants to see when boarding a plane, hoping for a quiet, restful journey, is someone kicking off, shouting, and acting disorderly.

And if this new Government idea comes into action, it could mean that this kind of behaviour could land someone with essentially a ban from travel.

It’s understood that a scheme for carriers to share information on unruly passengers is being developed by officials at the Department for Transport and the Home Office, so a ban from one airline would mean a ban from all.

The proposal, which is still at the concept stage, could lead to airlines being required to notify the UK Government of a disruptive passenger.

Participating airlines would then be alerted when the same person checked in for a subsequent flight.

The Government are considering new sanctions for disruptive plane passengers (Getty Stock Image)

Ultimately, it would be up to each airline to determine how to respond, but they would have the option of refusing to carry them.

And it looks like the public is on board, as a YouGov survey of 5,173 British adults conducted in April suggested that three out of four people are in favour of the Government creating a database of disruptive airline passengers so they can be banned from all flights.

At the moment, disruptive passengers banned from future travel by an airline can still fly with another one because of a lack of information sharing, partly caused by data protection rules.

A Government source told PA Media: “Everyone should be able to enjoy a pint at the airport, but antisocial behaviour on flights is totally unacceptable.

“It threatens the safety of passengers and crew, and disrupts hard-earned holidays.

“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. Everyone should be able to fly without fuss.”

It comes after Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary called for airports to stop serving passengers drinks before early morning flights (Getty Stock Image)

As for what happens next and when we could actually see this implemented, the plans are in their very early stages right now.

Officials are scheduled to meet with airlines later this month to discuss the planned scheme.

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of industry body Airlines UK, said: “UK airlines have a zero-tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour.

“Additional measures for the most serious cases of disruption, including the creation of a national ban list, are an important next step in ensuring a tiny minority of passengers cannot disrupt air travel for the majority.

“We welcome the Government’s support for further action and will work closely with ministers on delivering the right solutions.”

While Rory Boland, editor of consumer magazine Which? Travel, said that a minority of air travellers are increasingly taking airport drinking ‘too far’, which is ‘wreaking havoc for other passengers’.

Being drunk on a plane is a criminal offence punishable with a hefty fine and two years imprisonment (Getty Stock Image)

He said: “When the stakes are so high and the risk to safety so great, it’s only right that the penalty for being drunk and disorderly on a flight matches the seriousness of the situation.

“It’s welcome then that the Government is proposing travel bans for the worst offenders.”

Being drunk on a plane is already a criminal offence and can be punished by a fine of up to £5,000 and two years’ imprisonment, and it was only recently that Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary recently called for airports to be banned from serving alcohol to passengers before early morning flights, to reduce incidents of disruption.

He admitted that the airline was being forced to divert an average of nearly one flight every day because of bad behaviour onboard, up from one a week a decade ago.

So, next time you fancy sinking a few too many pints before jetting off on your holiday, maybe have a word with yourself as the consequences might last for longer than you’d think!

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