Sexual Harassment of Airline Staff

Brits abroad display notoriously bad behaviour from the second they check-in till the moment they pick up their bags once they’ve arrived home. We drink too much, we eat till we’ve gained two stone in one week and we infuriate the locals with rowdy antics and general unruly behaviour. However, what we don’t ever discuss is inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment towards airline staff en route to our destinations.

On this week’s BBC Panorama episode that explored British holidaymakers in airports, it was revealed that more than half of cabin crew members have experienced or witnessed verbal, physical or sexual abuse on board a UK flight. A staggering 1 in 5 said they themselves had been physically abused by passengers.

Former Virgin airlines cabin crew manager Ally Murphy told Panorama: “I was pulled into an upper-class bed by a passenger who was feeling particularly lucky I guess. They [passengers] would touch your breasts, or they’d touch your bum or your legs, or I mean I’ve had hands going up my skirt before. It’s rage inducing, and you shouldn’t have to deal with that.”

Why are people allowed to get away with this? Cabin crew members are on board to keep passengers safe and comfortable- not as part of the aeroplane’s furniture. Although inappropriate harassment/abuse of airline staff can’t be put down entirely to alcohol, some airline companies such as Ryanair and Jet2 have imposed strict rules and penalties with regard to alcohol on board planes in an attempt to reduce this disgusting behaviour.

It’s not just sexual behaviour either- air rage is also on the rise. Last year, UK airlines saw 384 air rage incidents.

Senior Director of the World Travel Market, Simon Press said: “The reported increases of air rage are concerning and many do seem to be alcohol-related. Most of us wouldn’t consider downing a pint of lager at 6.30am during our normal daily routine, yet at airports and on board aircraft, alcohol is so readily available and as a consequence, many of us have experienced an intoxicated passenger on a flight.”