Clear-cut rules for unruly passengers

Clear-cut rules for unruly passengers Passengers who do not comply with the rules for onboard behavior on aircraft can jeopardize flight safety. During recent years, SAS and other air carriers have experienced an increase in the number of situations involving unruly passengers. As a result, SAS has reviewed its procedures in this area. With the help of comprehensive personnel training, warning letters from the captain and a new alcohol policy, SAS aims to minimize the occurrence of disruptive events on board its aircraft. "We have only a few unruly passengers, but each situation of this nature is unacceptable, for both SAS and its customers," says Peter Lindahl, Safety Manager at SAS. Training of personnel and written warnings from the captain A training program covering such topics as conflict management, new procedures, legal aspects and self-defense is to be arranged for flight and land-based personnel. The length of the training program will be one or two days depending on the category of participants. The first program will be held directly after the New Year. The personnel concerned will also receive a handbook explaining SAS's new guidelines. Two different types of warning letters are also being introduced: 1.If a passenger continues to smoke despite having being told not to, he/she will receive a warning letter from the captain. The person will be informed that the next measure could involve informing the police. 2.A general warning letter will be used for passengers who act in a threatening manner, or who disrupt order on board an aircraft in some other way. The warning letter will inform the passenger concerned about the possible consequences of his/her behavior. Employees will also receive a standard report form to be used as a basis for compiling police reports and SAS's internal reports. Alcohol policy SAS has also formulated new guidelines for dealing with alcohol in relation to customers. The guidelines include the following: · that a customer can be denied the right to board an aircraft if he/she is intoxicated · that a customer can be denied the right to be served alcohol on board an aircraft SAS carries approximately 22 million passengers each year and a total of about 200 incidents were reported in 1998, of which some ten were of a serious nature. For further information, please contact: Peter Lindahl, Safety Manager, SAS Tel: +46 8 797 12 65 SAS CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/07/31/20030731BIT00700/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/07/31/20030731BIT00700/wkr0002.pdf