Flight attendants share shocking experiences of passenger and colleague misconduct
Last week, a 30-year-old drunk British holidaymaker tried to kiss a male flight attendant on a plane, spent a week in Mallorca, and was arrested on his return through Palma airport. In February, Jet2 banned two passengers for life after a mid-air brawl on a flight from Turkey to Manchester. British Airways had to cancel a flight from Barbados because some crew members were too drunk from the hotel bar to operate it. These incidents highlight a growing problem of air rage, which has surged post-Covid. In 2021, reported incidents in the US exceeded the previous three decades combined, with mask non-compliance adding a new category of misbehavior.
The scale of sexual harassment and assault among cabin crew
Unite, the union representing most cabin crew with 30,000 female members, found that 34% of women had been sexually assaulted at work (including ground staff), 67% experienced unwanted flirting or sexual remarks, 65% heard sexually offensive jokes, 55% were inappropriately touched, and 40% were shown pornographic images by managers, colleagues, or passengers. From October, third-party harassment rules will take effect, making it harder for management to ignore passenger behavior.
Drinking culture and passenger behavior
Clara, 26, who has worked with low-budget airlines for over two years, says stag parties are the worst, summer is worse than winter, and Ibiza is worse than Bruges. Overall, "Anglo-Saxons love to drink. As soon as Brits get to the airport, they start drinking. They drink like they've never drunk before." She notes that Polish people drink a lot but hold their alcohol well. Passengers often behave as if they're in a club, making inappropriate comments and requests for Instagram contacts. Thomas, 27, has a colleague who was tracked down on Instagram by a passenger who saw her name badge.
Harassment in uniform and from colleagues
Employees report relentless harassment while commuting in uniform. Clara always wears a fleece over her uniform and changes into trainers to avoid attention. Thomas observes that passengers' attitudes toward cabin crew change based on sex, with some refusing to accept female authority. He often calms tensions simply by appearing as a male crew member. Clara had a colleague who would grab her arm and say "You're going to be my future wife," and once mimed cunnilingus near the toilets. She did not file a complaint, as many crew report that managers do nothing about sexual harassment by colleagues.
Physical altercations and vaping incidents
Sergei, 27, a budget airline crew member training to be a pilot, recently had to separate the cabin manager and deputy who were fighting, biting, and scratching mid-flight. Vaping is a major issue; many passengers believe they can vape in toilets without setting off alarms. Sergei decides whether to call police based on whether passengers admit it. One man denied setting off the alarm, and his girlfriend claimed it was caused by farting. The couple screamed abuse as the man was arrested.
Economic pressures and declining conditions
The main flashpoint is passengers not sitting down when told, driven by economic liability: if they fall during takeoff, landing, or turbulence, the airline is liable for injuries. Airlines now have 25-minute turnaround targets, leaving no time to clean, and crew often see dirty nappies, excrement, and urine. Clara recalls a father who made his son urinate into a bottle and then threw it at her colleagues. Another passenger urinated on the cabin door.
Physical and emotional toll on crew
The job is punishing, with jet lag, early starts, late finishes, and cabin pressurization taking a toll. Clara says, "When you do four takeoffs and four landings in the same day, it's exhausting. It's not really something you could do for your whole life." Thomas notes that being stuck in a metal tube for 8-12 hours is worse than an office job. On budget carriers, commission on in-flight sales leads to conflicts; Clara saw a cabin manager so busy selling perfume that pilots had to perform a go-around, costing the airline thousands in fuel and parking fees.
The rise in air rage seems less surprising given the pressures on both passengers and crew. The real puzzle, as one flight attendant suggests, is why there isn't more air rage directed from crew to passengers.
