Airlines have had a tough time throughout the pandemic dealing with unruly passengers. From people who get drunk and molest flight attendants to fights breaking out over mask policies, it would seem that airline etiquette has degenerated.
A recent report by The Association of Flight Attendants found that a staggering 85% of flight attendants in the United States have dealt with an unruly passenger since the beginning of this year.
Is it because people have forgotten how to fly? Or is it that we’ve been so isolated we’ve forgotten how to be polite and maintain our calm in what has become a more stressful situation than in the past?
A recent survey from ValuePenguin asked more than 1,000 individuals from four generational categories in America what they think of airline etiquette, and what their biggest pet peeves were when traveling by air.
More than half of Americans (54%) believe that the pandemic has worsened fliers’ airline etiquette, with 24% mentioning that their poor behavior could cause a plane to turn around or not take off at all, ruining other passengers’ experiences and plans.
Seventy-four percent of respondents believe that being rude to flight attendants is the biggest breach of airline etiquette, yet the majority of the thousands of reported incidents occur between flight attendants and passengers over problems of verbal and physical abuse, as well as noncompliance.
The other problem is drunk passengers. The Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, has warned airports that have bars or restaurants that serve alcohol to closely monitor signs of drunkenness and curb the rate of intoxicated individuals, as they found the rate of these incidents was climbing because of a correlation with alcohol abuse.
This has posed the question of whether or not airlines should pause serving alcohol onboard for the time being, which 81% of respondents agreed would be a good idea, with 65% noting that getting drunk in the air is not acceptable behavior. Earlier in June, United Airlines, Southwest and American halted their alcohol services in the hopes of reducing the rate of unruly passengers, according to CBS.com.
The percentage of individuals who believe getting on an airplane while sick is a breach of etiquette has risen from 56% in February of 2020 to 67% — an 11% increase that surely has been affected by the pandemic’s all-important focus on human health and hygiene, though that number could be interpreted as lower than expected.
It’s important to remember to be kind and considerate to avoid adding to your or anybody else’s stress as travel continues to grow this year. Wear your mask when it is required. Air travel is considered public transportation, and masks are still mandated by federal law. Noncompliance, especially when it becomes violent, can be charged as a federal crime. Be aware of others and give them greater personal space than before. Wash or sanitize your hands often and remember: always be kind to flight attendants.
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