How To Avoid Air Rage

Raging in crowded spaces has almost become second nature for many in Indian metropolitan. For someone who commutes daily in a local train knows that mornings on your way to work can easily be spoilt by someone wanting to rage over petty stuffs. But then again, air travel is different, right?

Incidents of air rage post Covid-19 have become a common occurrence across the world. According to a report published in 2023 by British Safety Council India, Air India alone has listed 70 passengers on its no-fly list. The phenomenon has been increasingly documented since the 1990s, driven by factors such as flight delays, poor communication from airlines, and the stresses of crowded travel environments. Alcohol plays a significant role in many air rage incidents, exacerbated by the effects of altitude on alcohol tolerance. Other contributing factors include interpersonal conflicts, mental health issues, and even drug use. Moreover, the very environment in which air rage occurs contributes to it. The airplane is an enclosed space with nowhere for angry, upset, or ill passengers to go or anywhere threatened passengers or crew can escape.

According to a research, the tight space allows for disagreements over seating and overhead compartment space, which can lead to episodes of air rage. And in fact, one study by Daniel J Coyle, Michael M. Smith, and Gerad T. Flaherty aimed at analysing air rage incidents aboard international commercials flights made an observation that air rage was most common among male passengers. "A total of 270 passengers were involved in this series of air rage incidents, with 76.2 percent (of them) male"

So, are those 70 passengers blacklisted by Air India just exceptions or is air raging- aggressive or disruptive behaviour by passengers during flights- becoming a serious problem in the country?

While it’s worth noting that there isn’t a comprehensive official database publicly tracking nationwide air rage incidents — domestic and international — in India, the DGCA has protocols in place to deal with unruly passengers, including classifying misconduct into severity levels that can lead up to multi-year bans on air travel for the worst offenders.

So, if If crowded local trains test your patience, airplanes will test your composure. The difference? In the air, there’s no stepping off at the next station. Once the aircraft doors close, emotional discipline becomes essential. Which brings us to the critical consideration: in high-stress environments that can trigger air rage, what strategies help maintain composure?

Here are tips on how to keep from having a meltdown that might be captured in the next viral video on the internet or being blacklisted forever:

Identify Triggers Early: If long waits, cramped seats, overhead bin flights can factor into your irritation. Nib them before they becoming a pain in your ass. At the same time, expect them including strong smells and crying infants. Not everything needs to be a flashpoint. Check with the flight attendant for help.

Control Only What You Can: You can't control flight delays, crowds or other passengers. What you can is your reaction. If you feel irritation rising, try to take a breath. Don’t react instantly.

Avoid Accusatory Language: Skip phrases like “You need to…” or “You have to…”. Instead, say 'I' statements like “I’d like to fit my bag there too,” instead of “Move your bag.”

Start with Courtesy: “Excuse me” and “Would you mind…?” reduce defensiveness.

Don’t Escalate: Avoid insults, sarcasm or name-calling. Don’t try to win. Acknowledge the other person’s discomfort instead of brushing it off to help keep everyone's cool, especially yours. And call the crew, if needed. It’s their job to manage conflict. Don’t play enforcer.

Limit Alcohol: Alcohol lowers inhibition and increases aggression, especially at altitude.

Finally, remember the stakes. Rage won’t get you an upgrade. It can get you removed from the flight.