Air rage remedies

IN 1996, GERARD FINNERAN, A CONNECTICUT businessman, got himself all liquored up in the first-class compartment of a United Airlines flight from Buenos Aires to New York. During the flight, he became so belligerent about not getting another glass of wine that he dropped his pants and…well, let’s just say that at that moment, Mr. Finneran became the poster boy for disruptive passenger behavior and spawned a new term now used all too often: air rage.

As airlines and governments wrestle with these passengers and what to do about them, what can you do, as a well-behaved passenger, to protect yourself from a confrontational seatmate who is spiraling out of control? My company is one of the firms that has consulted with airlines on this matter (customerbehaviormanagement.com), so let me share some survival techniques you won’t find printed on your boarding pass and are unlikely to hear as part of a flight attendant’s pre-takeoff briefing.

Be alert during the boarding process. Many passengers who turn into big problems in the air show signs that foretell their impending behavior when they are still on the ground. While you’re waiting to board, measure the temperament and behavior of your fellow passengers. Drunken behavior, for instance, is a clear and dangerous signal. Not many drunks become trouble, but many troublemakers are drunk.

Make it your business. You’ve got more time and more reason to size up your fellow passengers than do airline customer service agents who won’t be on the plane with you. Act on your suspicions. Report potential problem passengers to airport security. (Airline ground agents may not be of much assistance here, because they have little clout and can make their problems go away by boarding them.)

Choose an aisle seat. If your seatmate goes bonkers, you don’t want to be trapped between him and the side of the airplane.
Don’t ignore commotion in the cabin. When trapped in an aluminum tube miles above the earth, another person’s nasty behavior can become your problem in a big hurry. Like it or not, your safety is tied to all the other flyers on board—the good, the bad and the ones I usually get seated next to. When you see tempers start to flare, be prepared to take some action.
Distance yourself from a misbehaving passenger. You expose yourself to danger when you are near an air rager. What’s more, the presence of bystanders (or “bysitters”) can embolden an already tanked-up potential rager. The action called for in this case is to distance yourself from a potentially explosive situation. Don’t make a big deal about leaving, but do leave.

Remain calm. Cooperate with and support the crew member who is calling the shots. Her number-one job is to get the aircraft on the ground safely. Keep in mind that dealing with a disruptive passenger is not about honesty. It’s about control. You may hear a crewmember make all kinds of promises you know she can’t keep. The important thing is that the troublemaker believes what he hears: “Yes, when we land, you will be awarded free lifetime first-class upgrades.” Assure him that he will.
Offer assistance. When bad turns to worse, flight attendants may need your assistance to physically subdue a violent passenger. If you can help, do. If you can’t, get out of the way so that other passengers can.

Most disruptive passengers are brought under control without endangering other passengers. Nevertheless, if things should go badly on a flight, now you know what to do.

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terry riley is a psychologist (appliedpsychology.com) and internationally recognized authority on understanding, managing and influencing business travel behavior. His is also the author of Travel Can be Murder, C.H.A.R.M. School and The Complete Travel Diet. Email Terry at editor@executivetravelmag.com.