[7] Generally, such passengers do not intend to commit terrorist acts, but since the September 11 attacks, such incidents have been taken more seriously due to increased awareness of terrorism.
[15] EASA stated that every three hours, a passenger compromised the safety of a flight within the EU through misconduct, with at least 70% of these incidents involving aggression.
Most incidents involved the mandated use of face masks, scarves, or covering under federal law, resulting in attacks on other passengers or airline personnel.
[17][18] Dutch airlines KLM and Transavia noticed the same increase in air rage, and in September 2022, they established a joint blacklist for banned passengers.
[20] It is also suggested by some experts that the primary cause of air rage is the deterioration of economy class amenities and seating space over recent decades.
For example, a person who is already afraid of flying can be tipped over the edge by an overuse of alcohol, medication, a stressful situation, nicotine withdrawal,[22] or disruptive behavior from others.
The availability of alcoholic beverages on airlines and at airports enables passengers and crew members to drink excessively before and during flights.
[22] According to one study by the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU), half of all air rage incidents on Western airlines involve alcohol.
[26] Although the 18-year-old (whom the Royal Marechaussee removed from the flight for questioning) said it was a "joke", the airline regarded it as "a kind of bomb threat"; the next day, it charged the passenger with intimidation and banned him from flying Transavia for 5 years.
[26] Air rage generally covers both behavior of a passenger or airline employee on the aircraft or more generally speaking at the airport: Other related behavior that may interfere with the comfort of cabin crew or passengers include smoking on board the flight, viewing pornographic materials, performing sex acts ("mile high club") in the aircraft cabin, making undue sexual advances towards other people, performing sex acts in the lavatory, the inappropriate groping and touching of crew members, loud or drunken behaviors, spitting, swearing, and wearing clothing that is inappropriate or offensive.
[16] In the United States, passengers who disrupt the duties of a flight crew member can face fines up to $25,000 and sometimes lengthy prison sentences.
[33] With the number of unlawful acts committed on airplanes in South Korea more than tripling from 2011 to 2016, Korean Air Lines issued guidelines allowing crew members to use stun guns on violent passengers and banning those with a history of unruly behavior.