"Plane rage"--out-of-control behavior on the part of airline passengers--"has jumped 400 percent in the past five years," says the magazine Business Traveler International. What accounts for the sharp increase? Stress is a major factor. Delayed or canceled flights, congestion, and fear of flying all create anxiety, which can, in turn, lead to eruptions of rage. "Airlines promote air travel as a fast and smooth operation, and it's not like that," says Stuart Howerd, of the Internatinoal Transport Workers' Federation. One major airline representative believes that the advent of nonsmoking flights is another factor in plane rage. According to the report, "frustrated smokers accounted for more than half [the] incidents of disruptive passenger behavior" on one airline in 1997. Another factor is alcohol consumption, the effects of which may be magnified at high altitudes. What does the report recommend if a fellow passenger is noisy? "Don't call the crew over. Instead, leave your seat and discreetly draw the problem to their attention." It also suggests: "Insulate yourself from possible aggravations by bringing along light reading material or listening to soothing music" on a portable stereo.
Awake! October 22, 1999
http://www.moonchild.ch/Library/briefs/Rage_air.html