Why Not Get Involved If There Is a Fight on the Plane (and What to Do Instead)
Commercial flying is usually challenging, but the reported spike in in-flight incidents involving disobedient passengers has only exacerbated possible annoyance on boarding the plane. If you ever witness one of these ugly scenes – be it two passengers pushing each other, or someone engages in violence with a crew member – you might be tempted to intervene, but should you?
Some people may have the impulse to take action, but there are things to know before you ultimately decide to intervene in a confrontation on an airplane, whether you are idling on a runway or traveling at altitude.
Should you intervene during a conflict on board an aircraft?
Ending a fight or argument on board an airplane is not the same as breaking up a little conflict between kids in the park. First, it comes with serious legal implications – for example, an airline could take responsibility for an injured passenger if found guilty in court – although passengers are technically allowed to commit fraudulent acts in an attempt to ensure the safety of themselves and everyone else on the plane. …
Conde Nast Traveler details Article 10 of the Tokyo Convention, which, since 1975, has prescribed punishment for crimes committed on airplanes:
[In] a situation where anyone, including a passenger, believes that someone near him is a threat to the plane or another passenger, he or she has the right to take “reasonable preventive action” without asking permission.
However, this rule applies to serious situations such as the possibility of terrorist attacks. For our purposes, we are not discussing issues that may have international weight, but rather typical disputes that usually arise between passengers on a harmless commercial flight. When it comes to situations like this, the first thing to know is that the initial responsibility for reducing stress rests with the flight crew.
Harry Leff, an independent airline analyst, told Lifehacker that intervening in a fight could further complicate matters. “Don’t interfere. Sometimes it can be difficult to recognize a mistake, ”he says. “It’s another matter if a crew member asks for help.”
It is important to give the crew the opportunity to do business early, especially if you have not received the express consent of the flight attendants to help them tame an aggressive or aggressive passenger. This is important as physical harm to a flight attendant can result in up to 20 years in prison if you are found guilty.
When it comes to a worried traveler, Leff advises to wait for the crew member’s words:
A passenger may need restraint, and passengers could often overwhelm belligerent, drunk or high-ranking and aggressive people. But this always and everywhere should be in support of the crew, and not alone.
In other words, be vigilant if you think a flight attendant might need your help, but do not use yourself as a plane rental assistant.
In fact, filming naughty passengers is good.
One thing you can do when you’re in the middle of a messy and disruptive passenger is to film their behavior. The possibility of public shame, especially if someone is behaving in a manner worthy of contempt, violence, racism, or otherwise regrettable, is a good deterrent, Leff said. “Filming is important to clients because it is often the only way to prove what really happened and as a defense against what others might say about what happened during the incident,” he says.
While some airlines may threaten to prosecute a passenger filming an unflattering event, there is no official law prohibiting you from removing your phone and fixing a recording. Be careful, however, as traditional First Amendment rights disappear when the plane takes off and the wheels are lifted. “Airlines have more authority on aircraft because, as private parties, they are not bound by the First Amendment,” wrote Associated Press columnist David Koenig in 2017.
However, their adherence to these rules is subjective, and as evidenced by the multitude of viral videos showing in-flight incidents, it’s safe to say that you’re probably okay when it comes to filming.
“I think the filming is mostly expected in public, so while some may react badly to it, it’s less likely than it used to be,” says Leff.
So when it comes to intervening, always wait for the team to make the first call, and be close to your phone if you feel like filming an incident will help resolve the situation.