DUBAI // Airline passengers have been urged to act responsibly during flights and warned that drunk or aggressive behaviour could land them in court.
The warning comes in the wake of a 40-year-old British passenger who was given a three-month jail sentence and a Dh2,000 fine.
He had got drunk during a flight from Bangkok to Dubai in April and was found guilty of molesting an Emirates air stewardess.
“We cannot comment on court judgments that we have not seen,” said Emirates in a statement.
“However, many countries have laws prohibiting offensive behaviour on board aircraft and regularly prosecute unruly and disruptive passengers for such incidents.
“The international community is also currently taking steps to update the Tokyo Convention regarding disruptive passengers, due to the concerns of many governments about the escalation of the severity and frequency of unruly behaviour on board aircraft.”
Budget carrier flydubai said its passengers accepted its conditions of carriage when they boarded the aircraft.
“A key component of our conditions of carriage outlines acceptable passenger behaviour on the ground and on board our aircraft.”
According to its conditions of carriage, alcohol was not allowed to be consumed on board the aircraft.
“You are not allowed to consume alcohol aboard an aircraft (whether purchased as duty free from us or someone else or otherwise obtained) unless it has been served to you by us,” said the airline’s website.
“We have the right, at any time for any reason, to refuse to serve alcohol or to withdraw alcohol which has been served.”
Etihad also urges its passengers to be respectful of others during the flight.
“Fail to comply with or contravene any instructions or direction of the crew ... with respect to smoking, alcohol or drug consumption ... or behave in a manner which causes or is likely to cause discomfort ...
“If, in our reasonable opinion, you conduct yourself on board the aircraft in any of these ways, we may take such measures as we deem reasonably necessary to prevent continuation of such conduct, including restraint.”
The carrier says that the offending passenger could be removed from the flight and refused onward travel and potentially face prosecution for his or her behaviour on board the aircraft.
nhanif@thenational.ae