MISBEHAVING Brits could be slapped with a permanent flight ban under new Labour rules.
Labour Ministers are currently looking at establishing a blacklist to stop abusive behaviour towards and disruption to travel.
The UK government is looking at introducing new rules that could ban unruly passengers from flying Credit: Alamy
This includes considering how information about drunk and abusive passengers could be shared between
Currently, if you misbehave on a flight you can be you are travelling with – but other airlines would not know this.
If the new rules were to go ahead, it would mean that public officials could keep information about passengers, including a history of any bad behaviour during flights.
In an setting, public officials would likely include police, border force officers and immigration officers.
The official would then warn an airline if the passenger was trying to check in with them.
Then, the airline could decide whether or not they want the passenger travelling with them.
The new system would be compliant with data protection rules, so no new legislation would need to be created for the rules to be introduced.
Having said this, data protection rules don’t allow airlines to share information about travellers, hence the need for a public official.
It comes as a the number of drunken incident on flights have risen in recent years, including one earlier this month on an easyJet flight Credit: Alamy
It comes as the number of drunken and violent incidents on planes has risen in recent years.
Earlier this month, a drunk woman believed to be British lunged at another passenger, causing chaos on an flight.
A government source said: “Everyone should be able to enjoy a pint at the airport, but anti-social behaviour on flights is totally unacceptable.
“It threatens the safety of passengers and crew, and disrupts hard-earned .
“There are already tough laws in place to deal with offences committed on flights, but we are exploring with industry how we can better address this issue, ensuring we crack down on people who persistently cause chaos.
“Everyone should be able to fly without fuss.”
Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of industry body Airlines UK, said: “UK airlines have a zero-tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour.
“Additional measures for the most serious cases of disruption, including the creation of a national ban list, are an important next step in ensuring a tiny minority of passengers cannot disrupt air travel for the majority.
In a recent YouGov survey of 5,000 adults, 37 per cent said they supported the proposal for new rules Credit: Alamy
“We welcome the government’s support for further action and will work closely with ministers on delivering the right solutions.”
According to LBC, Phil Ward, Chief Operations Officer of Jet2, also said the airline would support new rules of sharing passenger information between airlines.
He said: “The creation of a national database will mean that, as well as being banned from flying with us, disruptive passengers can also be banned from flying with other UK airlines.”
In a recent YouGov survey of 5,000 adults, 37 per cent said they supported the proposal for new rules, with 38 per cent saying they somewhat supported it.
Only 11 per cent opposed.
is a criminal offence and can lead to a fine of up to £5,000 and two years in prison.
A meeting will be held later this month where industry leaders will discuss the plans.
The Sun's Head of Travel shares her thoughts
The Sun’s Head of Travel, shares her thoughts:
Plans to blacklist drunk and abusive passengers on a nationwide database can’t come soon enough.
Onboard incidents have skyrocketed in recent years and a full ban on those found guilty across all airlines would be the kind of punishment that would have real consequences.
At the moment, while one airline can ban a passenger for life, data protection means other airlines are not alerted.
Having seen the chaos a drunken passenger can wreak myself on a flight from Cape Verde back to the UK anything that will show disruptive passengers there are real consequences is a good move.
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has repeatedly called for a ban on passengers drinking in departure lounges but why should the vast, innocent majority pay for the sins of a tiny minority?
This proposal is a much more sensible way of ensuring planes are not turned into battlegrounds without punishing the law-abiding passengers.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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