News Director at Gökyüzü Haberci, Deniz Zengin Çal, has written about the recent passenger crisis at Turkish Airlines (THY), sanctions for unruly passengers, and much more.

A few days ago, a passenger who hurled obscene insults at the cabin crew on a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to London stunned everyone on board. Let’s take a look at this issue from several angles.

Summary

THY’s sanctions and statements regarding the incident Research data on the harassment and insults faced by cabin crews Reasons for passenger removal from flights Penalties for disruptive behavior on airplanes Ryanair CEO’s proposal to limit alcohol to prevent such incidents

A Recap of the Incident
For those unfamiliar with the event, here’s a quick summary: A passenger who claimed to have checked in for seat 8 was moved to seat 17 on THY’s Istanbul-London flight. The passenger, clearly intoxicated, was upset about the seat change, especially after learning that another passenger had paid 4,000 TL for their ticket while they had paid 10,000 TL. Frustrated, they began swearing at the cabin crew for minutes. When informed that security had been called, the passenger became even more aggressive, also insulting the officers. The passenger claimed, "I have 10 factories, you can’t touch me," while making other incoherent statements like, "I had surgery, I may never have children."

Ultimately, the police were called, and the passenger was taken into custody. Kudos to the patient officers and the cabin crew who maintained their composure despite the insults. As for the other passengers, we can only imagine their patience.

THY’s Response: Passenger Blacklisted

THY’s spokesperson, Yahya Üstün, made the first statement: “The passenger who displayed aggressive behavior towards our cabin crew and passengers on flight TK1983 from Istanbul to London on 14.09.2024 was removed from the aircraft by the police. Legal proceedings have been initiated against the passenger, B.G., who caused damage to the aircraft, and they have been added to our no-fly list (blacklist).”

THY's No-Fly List Contains 440 Individuals

THY’s CEO Bilal Ekşi also addressed the issue: “Flight safety is our top priority. Passengers who pose a threat to flight safety or assault our crew, either verbally or physically, are placed on the no-fly list for a set or indefinite period, and we file criminal charges against them. As of now, our blacklist contains 440 individuals.”

Survey Results Highlight Challenges Faced by Cabin Crews

A national survey conducted by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), involving nearly 5,000 flight attendants, revealed that over 85% of respondents had dealt with unruly passengers in the first half of 2021 as air travel resumed. More than half (58%) experienced at least five such incidents that year, and 17% reported facing physical assaults.

Flight attendants cited alcohol consumption, routine safety reminders, flight delays, and cancellations as common factors contributing to these incidents. Many noted that multiple factors often played a role in each situation.

Reasons for Passenger Removal

Airlines reserve the right to refuse transport to passengers they believe pose a risk to the safety of the plane, crew, or other passengers. Typical reasons for removal include:

Intoxication or drug influence Refusal to comply with security screenings Noncompliance with safety-related instructions from ground staff or crew Threatening, abusive, or offensive behavior towards staff or passengers Interference with a crew member's duties Endangering the safety of the aircraft or its occupants

Penalties for Disruptive Behavior on Flights

Disruptive passengers are banned from future flights, and as seen in the above case, they are added to the airline's blacklist. This means the passenger cannot purchase tickets from that airline for a certain period.

Here are a few examples of sanctions applied to disruptive passengers abroad:

September 25, 2023: A 33-year-old man caused a Perth-to-Sydney flight to turn back due to his unruly behavior. Nearly a year later, on September 5, 2024, he was ordered to pay approximately $6,000 in fuel costs. July 2021: A woman flying from Dallas-Fort Worth to Charlotte was fined $81,950 by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for pushing a flight attendant and attempting to open the cabin door. This marked the largest fine in FAA history. November 2023: A woman on a Phoenix-to-Honolulu flight was fined about $40,000 for disturbing public order. She was penalized for "swearing and threatening the flight crew and passengers," prompting the captain to return to Phoenix.

Flight cancellations, route changes, and delays due to such incidents cause both financial and emotional loss to passengers and the airline. Therefore, I believe all rights lost due to these unruly actions should be heavily reclaimed from the offending passenger.

Alcohol Restrictions at Airports

The data presented above shows that this issue is neither new nor isolated. Unfortunately, such incidents are hard to prevent in air travel, used by millions. Last month, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary proposed limiting alcohol to curb such behavior, saying, “We don’t let people drive drunk, yet we continue to put them on planes 33,000 feet in the air.” O’Leary suggested restricting the sale of alcohol to two drinks per boarding pass.

In response, Tim Martin, chairman of Wetherspoons, one of the UK’s largest pub chains, sarcastically commented, “Ryanair offers discounts on Irish whiskey if you order a double.”

While alcohol may not be the sole cause, it certainly exacerbates some situations. If intoxication leads to such dangerous behavior, alcohol restrictions should be implemented not only at airports but also on planes.