Is there a correlation between air travel today and an apparent increase in air rage incidents? Charging passengers extra for virtually everything except using the lav as well as shrinking seat pitch and the “dehumanizing” (IMO) airport security protocol (In the USA) creates a toxic atmosphere. Outside of aviation enthusiasts, who among the traveling public enjoys flying these days?
Granted, social media and consumer technology have advanced significantly even over the last few years. Now nearly everyone carries a video camera in their pocket. And needless to say, effective airport security is a necessity.
Do airlines see any value in treating their customers better? Can airport security be as effective with an emphasis on improved customer service?
The new “space saving” lav from AA and the FAA’s non action on seat size is going too far in my humble opinion.
I count my blessings after every flight that my trip was not delayed or interrupted by disgruntled pax and I fear the number of incidents will increase as airlines continue to find ways to frustrate passengers and lower the quality of their basic economy offering.
Thoughts?
Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
Re: Air Rage Incidents - Are Airlines & TSA Partly To Blame?
No. People want cheap fares. You can only have cheap fares if you sell more tickets. These incidents get blown out of proportion because of social media. There are hundreds of millions passengers who fly every year without any problem. Some people just don't know how to act, whether in the air or on the ground.
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- B757Forever
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Re: Air Rage Incidents - Are Airlines & TSA Partly To Blame?
johns624 wrote:Some people just don't know how to act, whether in the air or on the ground.
Ding ding ding. Winner.
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- Ionosphere
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Re: Air Rage Incidents - Are Airlines & TSA Partly To Blame?
Before 9/11 air rage was the the hot topic of the day. It's always been a problem.
Re: Air Rage Incidents - Are Airlines & TSA Partly To Blame?
The problem is that we are always looking for someone else to blame for our own behavior. How someone decides to react is that, their decision, no matter what someone or something does, your reaction is your reaction.
Re: Air Rage Incidents - Are Airlines & TSA Partly To Blame?
I was at PHX a few weeks ago and had a person just barge into the TSA line with no regard for the rest of us. I kind of snapped at him that the rest of us were waiting also. What shocked me was he turned around and looked at me for a few seconds ( I thought oh boy here we go) He said "you know you are totally right and I apologize to everyone. I was the one that was late not you folks" He started for the back of the line and waited his turn. He indeed made his flight so it worked out well. Maybe there is a small bit of hope out there.
Re: Air Rage Incidents - Are Airlines & TSA Partly To Blame?
Four words. “Growing sense of entitlement”
Re: Air Rage Incidents - Are Airlines & TSA Partly To Blame?
77H wrote:Four words. “Growing sense of entitlement”
Also, if the percentage of jerks stays constant but the world's population keeps growing and more people fly, you will end up with a higher quantity of jerks flying and therefore more incidents.
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- Super80Fan
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Re: Air Rage Incidents - Are Airlines & TSA Partly To Blame?
The airlines are cheap pieces of crap in this country but I don't think they are to blame for others behavior. The TSA? Absolutely. I've had interactions with TSA agents who made by blood boil and almost made me attack them if I didn't have any self control.
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- spacecadet
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Re: Air Rage Incidents - Are Airlines & TSA Partly To Blame?
I'm going to buck what I know will be popular opinion here and say yes. People are people and there's only so far you can push a human being before he/she pushes back. The airlines and TSA are beyond that point now.
That's not to say that any individual incident is excusable. Some people are just bad actors, in every walk of life. But to say that *all* incidents fall into that category is, to me, indefensibly elitist. It implies that everyone behind such incidents is just ghetto trash who shouldn't be flying to begin with. So let's Make America Great Again and go back to the days when only "rich" people could fly, because certainly no rich person would ever act that way when pushed, right?
A lot of research has gone in to the human factor in piloting to make flying safer. It's time that the same effort be put into the passenger experience, for the same reason. You will never remove humanity from people, so you may as well learn what sets people off and do your best to prevent that from happening. Maybe in the past, the policies airlines had were non-confrontational by chance (or by nature) rather than through any real effort at it. But today, if airlines want to be as cheap as possible and the TSA wants to be as strict as possible, maybe they need to actually look at what they can do to keep those policies while also minimizing the risks of setting people off. It seems to me that it would be a benefit to *everyone*, including themselves as well as every other passenger, if they did so.
That's not to say that any individual incident is excusable. Some people are just bad actors, in every walk of life. But to say that *all* incidents fall into that category is, to me, indefensibly elitist. It implies that everyone behind such incidents is just ghetto trash who shouldn't be flying to begin with. So let's Make America Great Again and go back to the days when only "rich" people could fly, because certainly no rich person would ever act that way when pushed, right?
A lot of research has gone in to the human factor in piloting to make flying safer. It's time that the same effort be put into the passenger experience, for the same reason. You will never remove humanity from people, so you may as well learn what sets people off and do your best to prevent that from happening. Maybe in the past, the policies airlines had were non-confrontational by chance (or by nature) rather than through any real effort at it. But today, if airlines want to be as cheap as possible and the TSA wants to be as strict as possible, maybe they need to actually look at what they can do to keep those policies while also minimizing the risks of setting people off. It seems to me that it would be a benefit to *everyone*, including themselves as well as every other passenger, if they did so.
I'm tired of being a wanna-be league bowler. I wanna be a league bowler!
Re: Air Rage Incidents - Are Airlines & TSA Partly To Blame?
National757 wrote:Is there a correlation between air travel today and an apparent increase in air rage incidents? Charging passengers extra for virtually everything except using the lav as well as shrinking seat pitch and the “dehumanizing” (IMO) airport security protocol (In the USA) creates a toxic atmosphere.
The complaining about airline fees, service, and seat pitch on this board is getting insane. Never before have airlines offered such a wide range of choice from first class, business class, premium economy, economy plus, economy, basic economy, etc. Nobody is forced to be "dehumanized" or to enter a "toxic atmosphere". Only an idiot would go to McDonalds, order off the dollar menu, and complain about not getting a filet. Likewise, only an idiot buys a basic economy ticket then complains about baggage fees and small seats.
Re: Air Rage Incidents - Are Airlines & TSA Partly To Blame?
Is there any actual data on the amount of diversions or air rage incidents each year? Is it actually occurring more often or is this a result of more of them being available to see due to cell phones?
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- stratosphere
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Re: Air Rage Incidents - Are Airlines & TSA Partly To Blame?
There really is a different type of passenger today than when I started in this industry 30+ years ago and even before that even when flying as a teenager. I think the crowded planes and cheaper fares are a big part of it and of course add alcohol to this mix and you have the arrests and diversions. I really miss the old days of flying.