airlines have applauded the Government’s announcement it is to introduce tough new laws to combat air rage.
Penalties include fines up to £2,000 and two years in jail for passengers convicted of endangering an aircraft through disruptive behaviour. The new law comes into effect next month and will especially be aimed at drunken passengers.
The Government action follows meetings between officials and airlines over the pasteight months since British Airways chief executive Bob Ayling first wrote to the then minister of transport Dr John Reid last November.
BA said it experienced 122 incidents in the year to March 1999, of which half were alcohol related.