Originally published by the Australian Institute of Health & Safety
The combination of mask mandates, alcohol consumption and passenger stress created an unprecedented surge in disruptive passenger behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic, severely impacting cabin crew safety and wellbeing for the airline industry.
Recent research has found European cabin crews faced a disruptive passenger incident every 180 minutes, with at least one unscheduled emergency landing required monthly due to passenger behaviour.
The research revealed flight attendants experienced escalating verbal abuse, physical threats and sexual harassment, with many reporting decreased resilience and developing maladaptive coping strategies to handle increasingly hostile workplace conditions.
The findings emerged from research conducted by Alexander Rösch, Erin Chernak and James Blundell, published in the International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics. Their paper, Air rage from the sharp end: cabin crew perspectives on disruptive passenger behaviour in Europe and its impact on occupational safety and wellbeing, examined experiences across major legacy carriers.
The qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with 24 professional cabin crew members, including both pursers and flight attendants. Participants spanned multiple European nationalities including French, Hungarian, Italian, Austrian, German, British, Polish, Danish and Spanish crew members. Their ages ranged from 24 to 55 years, with flying experience between 6 and 32 years.
Alcohol emerged as a persistent trigger for disruption. “Most of the time alcohol is involved. When there is an alcohol-related escalation and that person in that moment is out of control, that’s a typical escalation where it can move from verbal to physical, because the person is under substance influence,” one crew member revealed.
Sexual harassment created particular challenges. “A 14-year-old girl approached us and said that another passenger touched her, basically. You wouldn’t say like...you think disruptive passengers, fighting, restraints and that. But actually, this is a lot more sensitive,” one flight attendant reported.
The research highlighted significant gaps in crew training and support. “It’s always about verbal de-escalation, that’s the be-all and end-all of the company. When it’s already come so far that they physically fight, then it’s difficult to achieve something verbally, to reach someone, that’s always more difficult when fists are already flying,” explained one participant.
For aviation industry leaders, the findings emphasised the need for enhanced crew protection measures. “To what extent can we avoid this very aggressive behaviour? How can we protect ourselves? I think that has nothing to do with us personally and there are things we can’t avoid. So yes, protection, personal protection strategies provided by the airlines, the companies. I mean a psychologist is not enough, courses and trainings should be provided,” one crew member stressed.
The research recommended strengthening consequences for disruptive behaviour, noting current warning letter procedures were largely ineffective.
For business leaders, the research highlighted three critical areas requiring attention: comprehensive crew training programs focused on managing aggressive behaviour, stricter alcohol policies including potential route-specific restrictions, and improved psychological support services for affected crew members.
The findings demonstrated that creating safer cabin workplaces requires a coordinated approach combining enhanced training, clear passenger behaviour policies, and robust support systems for crew members experiencing trauma or stress from disruptive incidents.
