The United Kingdom government is considering the introduction of a national blacklist for disruptive airline passengers, a move that could prevent offenders from flying with any carrier across the country.
Under the proposed scheme, airlines would be allowed to share information about troublesome passengers, potentially leading to wider flight restrictions for individuals involved in serious misconduct.
Incidents involving unruly, intoxicated and disruptive travellers typically rise during the busy summer holiday season. Currently, passengers banned by one airline can often book flights with another carrier without restrictions.
“Everyone should be able to enjoy a pint at the airport, but antisocial behaviour on flights is totally unacceptable,” a government source told the BBC. “It threatens the safety of passengers and crew, and disrupts hard-earned holidays.”
Officials from the Department for Transport are expected to meet airline representatives later this month to discuss how the proposed system could be implemented.
The planned database could be jointly administered by the government and the aviation industry.
Although no changes to existing laws would be required, questions remain over how the proposal would comply with current data protection regulations under the General Data Protection Regulation.
At present, GDPR rules prevent airlines from sharing passenger information, meaning individuals barred by one carrier can still travel with another.
“There are already tough laws in place to deal with offences committed on flights, but we are exploring with industry how we can better address this issue, ensuring we crack down on people who persistently cause chaos,” the government source added.
“Everyone should be able to fly without fuss.”
Concerns over disruptive passengers have long troubled airlines, with criminal prosecutions pursued in the most serious cases.
In April, a court heard that 61-year-old Stephen Blofield was jailed for 10 months after becoming heavily intoxicated and abusive on a Ryanair flight from Krakow to Bristol in November last year. His behaviour forced the pilot to abandon an initial landing attempt.
Earlier this year, Jet2 imposed lifetime bans on two passengers following a mid-air altercation aboard a flight from Turkey to Manchester. The incident prompted an emergency landing in Brussels, where both men were arrested on suspicion of assault-related offences.
Jet2 Chief Operations Officer Phil Ward said the airline maintained a strict stance against disruptive conduct.
“We would support a government plan for a formal scheme to share information on disruptive passengers across airlines and have been lobbying for this for some time,” Ward said.
“The creation of a national database will mean that, as well as being banned from flying with us, disruptive passengers can also be banned from flying with other UK airlines. We look forward to meeting with the government to discuss further.”
Airlines UK, the trade body representing British airlines, also welcomed the proposal and pledged to collaborate with authorities on its development.
“Additional measures for the most serious cases of disruption, including the creation of a national ban list, is an important next step ensuring a tiny minority of passengers cannot disrupt air travel for the majority,” a spokesperson said.
