As the hottest summer ever heats further, irate passengers are starting to flip out on Hawaii flights and others. Another day, another diversion. Is that how this hottest of all summers will play out on flights to Hawaii and elsewhere? It looks so, and honestly, we aren’t looking forward to that part as we travel. What about you? We’re wondering about the likelihood of encountering something like this on our own travels.
Yesterday we reported on the Southwest Hawaii diversion resulting from an airdropped threat to the plane that the airline took very seriously. But then we see this morning that Alaska has had its own Boeing 737 MAX 9 diversion since then, this one on a flight that connects to Hawaii rather than on the Hawaii flight itself. But even weirder, a British Airways passenger broke a wine bottle onboard on another totally unrelated flight and started attacking other passengers. That reminded us of the recent Hawaii flight incident when a passenger used a broken-off utensil as a weapon on a flight, only perhaps even worse.
Image courtesy of FAA.
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In the latest passenger-behavior-related incident, Spokane’s TV station reported the event, which Alaska responded to by saying that, in fact, “There was a security incident Wednesday afternoon involving Alaska Airlines Flight 334 from Atlanta to Seattle. A male guest made a direct threat to the safety of our aircraft and to one of our flight attendants. As a precaution, the flight was diverted to Spokane and landed safely at 5:15 p.m.” No further information was provided since this is an ongoing federal crime investigation.
With 177 passengers and 6 crew on board, that flight was en route for about 70 minutes when law enforcement became aware of the bomb threat and planned emergency diversion. Less than 30 minutes later, the plane was on the ground in Spokane based on data from FlightAware. The aircraft was taken to a non-terminal location for safe unloading away from other flights.
One male passenger was removed from the flight and arrested. As a precaution, the airport was closed for about two hours, delaying both flight departures and arrivals. The flight resumed later last night and arrived in Seattle less than one hour later. That is a flight we use to connect us back to Hawaii from the Atlanta area.
The hottest summer of all: Hawaii air rage continues
Why are passengers getting so irate and taking it out on other passengers and the airlines? There was a time that we talked about Covid-related air rage. Now that is in the rear-view mirror, but these incidents still happen almost daily and seem to be heading for a new level of horrible.
ACLU blames the airlines for air rage incidents.
In April, ACLU said, “If Congress wants to further reduce air-rage incidents on aircraft, it should look at forcing the airlines to make flying a less miserable experience.” This came as Congress attempted to develop a new version of a national no-fly list.
In another incident earlier this year, a passenger attempted to open the emergency exit and then stabbed a flight attendant with a broken spoon.
Hawaii recently had 10 recent unruly passenger incidents.
In January, an unruly passenger problem caused a flight to Brisbane to divert to Hawaii when a passenger “choked out” a flight attendant before being restrained with zip ties. The man was swiftly arrested upon landing in Honolulu.
Then you’ll recall the day we had not one but two unruly passenger incidents that caused Hawaii flight diversions on American Airlines.
Also, an unruly passenger diversion caused a Southwest Hawaii flight to return to the islands last December. Then there was the Hawaiian Airlines flight, where the plane returned to the gate so the passenger could be removed before even departing. That was the irate and abusive California woman who was inadvertently seated in economy after buying business class.
And don’t forget the UAL SFO to HNL flight that turned back to San Francisco because of erratic passenger behavior late last year. And the list goes on in terms of Hawaii flights, even to the passenger from JFK to HNL that tried to breach the Hawaiian Air cockpit.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) just said that unruly passenger incidents were up 47% in 2022 compared with 2021.
What are your chances of being on a plane with behavior like this?
Luckily, even as common as it seems to be based on the news each day, IATA said that chances are one in 568 that you’ll encounter this. Editor Jeff said that his odds are probably up after flying too much for so long. Reports of bad behavior rose from the 2021 rate rate of 1 incident per 835 flights, IATA found.
Aviation’s first responders?
It’s interesting to note that the flight attendants’ union (AFT) has said that they de-escalate 99% of the problems so they never get to this point. They are “aviation’s first responders.”
The significant issues that still occur, according to IATA, are related to 1) non-compliance with crew instructions, 2) verbal abuse, and 3) alcohol intoxication.
Why have Hawaii flights become such a bummer?
Is it just us, or are these concerns, among others, just adding to the frustration of being a passenger, no matter which airline? It isn’t that behavior is that much better at Home Depot, for example, it’s just that having it happen at 30,000 feet brings up a very different level of concern. As one of the flight attendants was quoted as repeatedly saying after the airdrop on the Southwest Hawaii diversion this week, “‘Get me the ‘F’ off this plane.”
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We have been fortunate in that the worst we have encountered is restless children. But we only fly about once a year on our vacation trips. If we were more frequent flyers our odds would increase.
On a SFO to HNL flight we were near an extended family with 4 children under 6 years old. Young children are not known for sitting still & quiet for long periods, so it was quite a stretch for them. But I hope that once there they enjoyed Hawaii as much as we did.
Mahalo Beat of Hawaii.
I really appreciate your putting a spotlight on bad behavior on a plane. I remember many discussions about passenger etiquette, now it’s fighting. How far we’ve fallen.
Question, is it acceptable for a passenger to intervene in a situation where another passenger is acting out?
I’m asking because that nonsense doesn’t sit well with me and I’d seriously like to help subdue an irate idiot on a flight. It’d totally make my day!
Zero tolerance here.
Aloha and blessings always!
I don’t understand how unruly things get but after flying to Greece this summer I became aware of what you have to go through and I’m surprised they don’t have more medical emergencies when they pack everyone like sardines without air conditioning in some of these airports. Arriving in Chicago was a nightmare, endless lines, no air, slow processing through customs and then trying to find connecting flight was a nightmare. Seriously gives me anxiety about taking another trip. 😫 I was so hot and miserable I thought I might pass out at any minute but I drew strength watching mom’s having to deal with small children and figured if they were tough enough to do this with kids surely I could hang on, barely. The same from las vegas to Toronto the plane and gates were so far without any moving walkways I thought for sure I would miss my plane fortunately I got lucky again. And barely Made my flight. I am not tempted to go anywhere after this nightmare trip, just thinking about the seats being so close and tight, it seems like the seats were smaller and closer. Anyway, those are just the biggest problems but after seeing people running through the airport to catch a flight or people sleeping on the ground because their flight was late or canceled gave me hope that at least that wasn’t me to add to my anxieties.
It seems like there’s a free for all on behavior everywhere.
The airline industry does not care how much the customers are inconvenienced to help them pack the planes and save money. They cancel flights, reduce non stop flights and pack the plane customers in tiny seats with little or no leg room and little or no food. Of course people get cranky. We need standards which airlines need to be accountable to meet. There should be airline financial penalties when they fail to meet the established on ti e and comfort standards.
Fly Singapore Airlines, Quatar Arlines or many other non-US airlines and you won’t have that problem and if you fly to Hawaii, take business or 1st class if you need more space. I fly economy with American Airlines from Washington, DC for $300 and I don’t have any complains!
They should give vets, retired cops, strong guys the seats by the exit doors and say to them, if an incident occurs are you willing to help. If an incident happens and they assist, voucher for free airfares. Flight attendants stand back and watch the big boys handle the idiot.
Note, many flight attendants are bada$$es already. Including women. They are highly trained and 99.8% of the time can handle their situations perfectly fine.
A couple of years ago we flew from Honolulu to San Jose with the entire University of Hawaii football team who were playing at Fresno State. Some big boys on that squad. Needless to say their were no passenger incidents on that plane. Safest flight I’ve ever been on.
Yes, no surprise. They were probably Hawaiian ….Aloha!
World’s gone crazy. Xanax, one tablet per flight; per customer, should be taken by every passenger over 16 years old, per flight! I’m seriously——-silly!! They are no answers for mental illness, in the air or on land!
This behavior is not found only on planes. Just yesterday I was told a worker at Costco asked a person to move to the next line. As this was her job to ensure all lines are moving. She got a replay; I will go in any f—- line I want. This person had worked there some 25 years and never came across such unruly behavior. I wonder if the attitude change in people is a fall out from the vaccination crap the world has been given. Seems disrespect is more prevalent in today’s society.
Why stop at a no-fly list. Jail time would put a stop to a lot of these behaviors.
Some people if they have some fear, doesn’t matter what, condition, their brain snaps, just for a moment, they have no control of them self, that is when they do strange things, not really realizing.
No. They have no discipline because too many American parents think it’s their job to just make their kids happy at whatever they want to do, with no limits or boundaries. I know. I’m a retired teacher.
Yes, and then they release them to the world!
Civilization is just a thin veneer.
Perhaps we are just rats in a maze?
I So wish any disruptive passenger would be subject to the fullest extent of the law. This disrespectful behavior should be subject to extreme consequences since it has impacted hundreds of paying passengers and can quite possibly cost them many hundreds (or thousands) of dollars and ruining their vacations or business engagements not to mention the several thousands of dollars that were impacted upon the airlines for such a selfish act. Nothing is for free. If airlines suffer losses, they just add it onto your next ticket price.
This as to stop! I completely support a lifetime ban on people that cannot control themselves in a civilized manner from flying on Any airline. All airlines need to have a central control central center and ban any passengers that have been abusive on any airline from flying, therefore airlines should be working together. Otherwise, the abusive individual can simply book on another airline that hasn’t banned them from past illegal activities.
It’s simply not right that that civilized folk be penalized for such behavior which is how it’s playing out now.
These unruly passengers could be caused by several things, delays and cancelations, cramped seating (and they want to make them smaller), stress, chemical embalance with altitude, alcohol.
Still no reason for them doing it. Hopefully anyone that does this is placed on a no fly list.
No Fly lists are unconstitutional. If a US citizen commits a similar crime on the ground they may serve time, do community service or pay a fine but they aren’t prevented or banned forever from anything. Our system of justice generally allows a second chance. Given that the popular response in many states to serious crimes is release without bail, this knee-jerk reaction to crimes aloft seem out of step with our justice system.
Being responsible of the community guidelines all I can say is that there is a reason your comments have zero likes sir
*respectful…dang Siri 😂
Chris S,
Were you referring to me? Do you think unruly passengers should be banned for a single error? What about bail reform?
You don’t seem to understand the ACLU’s stance on this issue. It’s not about ‘second chances’ it’s about the right to know why/if you are on the list.
Test passengers for alcohol level – we don’t let drunks drive – so they shouldn’t fly either. As someone said that may take 70% of the problems out of the air. Then deal with drug testing – that may solve a bit more of the problems.
I am all for alcohol testing, but the argument that we don’t let drunks drive, so we shouldn’t let them fly, doesn’t apply here, since they are passengers and not pilots!
Maybe alcohol testing should be standard equipment at the terminal. Airlines have a legal obligation to prevent someone who is intoxicated from boarding airplane. Likewise, travelers that are aware of an intoxicated passenger have an moral obligation to notify the airline.
One tool airlines could use when a passenger appears intoxicated is MedLink. When a passenger is suspected of being sick or physically unable to fly, Airlines call a service known as MedLink. MedLink’s opinion to transport or not transport a passenger based on information relayed by the airline, is a professional opinion that can be used in court if necessary.
Testing a suspected drunk passenger could be performed by airport security and the passenger(s) could be denied boarding If guidelines were in place.
While there are DUI laws, there are drunk drivers on the road every day. Under our laws drunk drivers are only punished after they are caught breaking the law.
I like the idea of zip tying those disruptive violent offender passengers. Also, need to train flight attendants in karate. I’m from a military family.
Rights to respond: Airports & Airlines continued allowance of alcohol use
Aloha ….. testing for intoxication and not allowing intoxicated persons on the planes or serving alcohol on the planes or at the airports would probably reduce incidents of potential violence by at the lease 70% ….. however, the airports and the airlines make money from passenger purchases of alcohol ….. so the airports and the airlines are complicit in the occurrences of this potential violence on planes or in airports ….. until that realization becomes very clear to the airports and the airlines that no amount of money is worth risking passengers, flight attendants, and pilots lives, and all flight personnel and passengers lives will be unnecessarily endangered by promoting and allowing this continued alcohol use.
Thanks for raising this issue again, BOH editors! It may be post pandemic, but the mental health and substance use impacts on us resulting from isolation and loss will be endured for many more years, unfortunately. Behavioral health care access is extremely limited in the US and quality care is even less available. However, there are no excuses for adults behaving this way. Arrest these individuals, get them a psychiatric evaluation and don’t let them fly. ever. Dangerous behavior at 30,000 feet can impact thousands of lives. Not okay. I guarantee that if I witness another passenger behaving badly I will support the flight crew 100%. My sister has endured so much as a flight attendant the past few years. Where are all those federal Marshall’s that flew with us after 9/11? Flight crews exist for our safety (not to serve us) but they deserve a lot more support.
ACLU, less miserable….= what? More space, so less seats but that also equals increased cost. Can’t have one without the other, which is why most airlines have options for seating, if someone is paying for economy, the seat is just that, economy, if that person isn’t happy with it, then buy a seat with more room…there is absolutely a remedy within to control of the person. Airlines have been able to streamline and make flying available to almost everyone, not just the wealthy as it used to be. The problem now is that everyone wants to ride wealthy but not pay, that’s not life. Someone once told me, if you giving out free money, people would complain they had to wait in line…
This is the most relevant commenting should be the most obvious.I wish the ACLU would go on vacation for a long stretch.
I agree with the ACLU. The airlines have gotten way too greedy. They pack us in the planes like sardines in a can. If the airlines treat people like animals in a cage, they have to expect a few of them to go berserk.
I think Pam needs to take Jay S post to heart. Americans have become the most obnoxious self-centered, entitled people in the world. We’ve collectively lost our minds and too many boarding airplane intoxicated.
If you can’t afford 1st class or sitting next to a stranger for six hours & be polite, stay home or drive wherever you’re going.
There is the saying about walking in someone else’s shoes,,, we don’t know, other than obvious intoxication, why that person was so enraged to make it necessary to divert an airplane. So many issues flying around these days from political turmoil to long COVID. Marshalls on certain flights might make sense. Bartenders in the airport bars should be trained to look out for irate passengers. It all comes down to money.
Americans current favourite phrase is “You can’t tell me what to do!” (Americans have become the most obnoxious self-centered, entitled people in the world.)
With all due respect, you don’t have to fly! Just choose to live somewhere you like.
If it only took 100 minutes to travel from Atlanta to Spokane, those MAX 9 planes are much higher performance than I ever realized.
Whatever happens to these people? Probably not much as the incidents continue with no discernable slow down.