Unruly behavior on flights peaks around Christmas and better-dressed passengers won’t solve it – Jalopnik

Transport Minister Sean Duffy has made no secret of the fact that he wants passengers to do the same stop wearing sweatpants on commercial flights and that air travel would be better if we did. The perpetual pandemonium surrounding the winter holidays illustrates how Duffy’s belief is incredibly flawed. After analyzing data from the past 25 years, found the CBC that more disruptive passenger reports are filed in December than any other month. It’s a trend mirrored south of the border in the United States. This was reported by the Federal Aviation Administration2.4 unruly passengers were reported per 10,000 flights. The figure is almost double the weekly average for the following year.

The increase in the number of incidents immediately raises the question of the root cause. It’s not because passengers aren’t dressed properly. Most importantly, it is the busiest travel period of the year. Passengers are under enormous pressure to reach their destination on time, even though they can’t control anything other than which airline they fly. Alia Hussain, a flight attendant and president of Canada’s largest flight attendant union, told the CBC: “We continue to see more passengers with increased stress levels, lower tolerance for delays or service limitations and a greater willingness to challenge safety instructions in general.”

Besides the record $140 million fine levied against Southwest, management rarely faces consequences for the decisions that make flying miserable for the masses. The personnel who deal face-to-face with unruly passengers are the flight attendants and gate agents. Hasan told the CBC: “We work irregular hours, face challenging operating conditions… and often have consecutive days with minimal rest days. The combination creates a much more intense environment than a typical month of travel, for both passengers and crew.” While the FAA continues its zero-tolerance policy against unruly behavior, the government should properly regulate airlines to ensure a basic standard of operations, not repeal every consumer protection rule.