EASA - Not on my flight

Every three hours the safety of a flight within the European Union is threatened by passengers demonstrating unruly or disruptive behaviour.

At least 70% of these incidents involve some form of aggression. Once a month the situation escalates to such a degree forcing the plane to perform an emergency landing.

These statistics come from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which in response to the growing examples of “air rage” has launched a campaign in association with a group of European Airlines and Airports called #NotOnMyFlight.

The campaign takes the form of a micro-site, emphasising the problem and the dangers. As well as video promoting the campaign.

Three passengers are featured on the video, each representing a particular form of ‘air rage.’ Each of them performs their antics in the interior of a generic, unbranded aircraft , before they are paraded in front of a police style crime shot, with details of what they’ve done wrong.

First of all, we have the “Flying Mojito” - a middle aged man drinking spirits as he boards, after which he dances around the cabin and refuses to sit down.

He’s followed by a lady who throws other passengers’ belongings out of the overhead bins to make room for her own shopping bags. EASA calls this passenger “My Way Or Runway.”

Finally, we have another middle aged man, but rather than drink alcohol he locks himself into the WC to start smoking. According to EASA, this is Mr “Smokey Lavatory.”

After showing those three air rage examples, the video moves to an airport set, which is made out to look like a nightclub, with the sign “Flight Club” appearing over the door of the gate.

Bouncers wearing #NotOnMyFlight t-shirts are seen removing unruly passengers, after which everyone in line, waiting to board, cheers.

As well as the Europe wide #NotOnMyFlight, campaign, the Airports Operators’ Association in the UK has been running a campaign called “One too many.”

We originally covered this in August 2018, the campaign seeks to remind passengers of the consequences of drinking too much when travelling. This includes a diversion fee up to £80,000 for the most serious in-flight incidents.

The campaign has involved a national Facebook and Instagram social media campaign and advertising in ten pilot airports across the UK, including Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and East Midlands Airports (London Heathrow has since joined).

As we say in our editorial, we’re not sure how effective these campaigns actually are. Seeing a “one too many” card in an airport bar is unlikely to stop Dave and his ten mates from drinking before his stag party.

Meanwhile the #NotOnMyFlight campaign is actually funny, almost slapstick. It’s enjoyable to watch, which may not be the right direction to go down when itcomes to trying to deter people from anti-social behaviour aboard an aircraft.