As the peak summer holiday season gets underway, the UK government is considering a tougher approach to disruptive airline passengers – one that could see unruly travellers banned from flying with any carrier, not just a single airline.
Under proposals being discussed with the aviation industry, passengers involved in serious incidents such as drunken behaviour, abuse of crew or mid-air violence could be added to a national blacklist, preventing them from booking flights across multiple airlines.
The move comes as carriers report a rise in disruptive behaviour during peak travel periods and argue that current airline-specific bans do little to stop repeat offenders.
The decision is also hot on the heels of a debate surrounding European airports allowing early morning drinking before flights.
As airports effectively exist outside of normal time zones, there are no rules as to when alcohol can or can’t be served.
