It seems to be more common to read in the news about an unruly passenger misbehaving on a commercial flight. An unruly passenger may pose a threat to the safety and security of a flight by becoming violent towards other passengers and flight crew.
What causes air rage?
Most cases of air rage are caused by an intoxicated passenger who has consumed too much alcohol. A passenger may become stressed by the long lines at the check-in counter, airport security procedures or just by the thought of flying. The stressed out passenger may then decide to have a few drinks of alcohol to relax. However, once the airplane is in flight the cabin pressure decreases as well as the amount of oxygen in the air. This lack of oxygen increases the effects of alcohol causing the passenger to become more intoxicated.
Effects
Most often the pilot will divert the flight to the closest airport so that the passenger can be taken off the aircraft by law enforcement. Passengers who are especially aggressive and violent may be restrained by the flight crew.
Here are a few examples of disruptive passengers
This man starts screaming that there is a bomb on the airplane and threatens to blow it up as he is being escorted off by law enforcement.
Here is a passenger who became so intoxicated and unruly that the passengers and flight crew restrained him by duct taping him to his own seat!
Vocabulary
Rage – Violent, uncontrollable anger
Unruly passenger – A disruptive passenger who lacks self-control
Stress – An emotion or feeling of anxiety and worry
Restrain – To hold/keep someone or something under control
