Throw the book at them! — pilots demand action against unruly airline passengers

Unruliness among aircraft passengers and cabin violence is on the increase — and only harsh penalties will rein in the trend.

That’s the verdict of pilots and the civil aviation authority in the wake of the Boxing Day incident involving senior state broadcasting official Nobuntu Mkhize, now facing potential charges of assault and racism towards FlySafair flight attendant Emmridge September, 24.

There were 18 incidents of “unruly behaviour” between April and November last year, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) told the Sunday Times.

“Unruly behaviour on board has also been a growing tendency when monitoring global trends,” said SACAA spokesperson Sisa Majola.

“As a regulator, we view unruly behaviour as incidents that seek to undermine the safety and security of passengers and crew. Also, these incidents deprive other passengers of the right to experience an enjoyable air travel experience.

“This is precisely why the SACAA and the South African aviation industry (take) a firm stance against this unfortunate but disruptive behaviour from a select few,” Majola said.

SABC brand manager Mkhize has been banned from all future FlySafair flights and could receive a criminal conviction of up to six months in jail after she lost her temper aboard the Durban to Cape Town flight .

The 43-year-old was filmed allegedly hurling racist remarks and later physical abuse at September, as well as invoking her ANC credentials and that of her activist father, Khaba Mkhize, and had to be restrained after becoming unruly.

“You are a Coloured from Mitchells Plain, all these gold rings but no degree,” she reportedly said during the altercation. “Right now, when we land, I’m going to take an Uber home. You don’t even have a driver’s licence. You don’t even have a car.” Other racist comments were reportedly recorded by fellow passengers. 

Neither Mkhize nor September responded to queries.

“This uptick in aircraft cabin violence has been prevalent since the world started coming out of the Covid lockdown and is not just in South Africa but most of Western World — it’s a function of the liberal world and increased social tensions,” said retired commercial pilot Duncan Gillespie, now editor of Fly SA magazine.

“It normally involves alcohol. The only manner in which it can be adequately controlled and turned around is by extremely harsh penalties for those perpetrating such airborne violence meted out by regulatory authorities and the local justice system. If people see tough sentences and public unmasking of these miscreants they’ll think twice [before] creating an issue themselves.”

Another veteran local pilot, speaking on condition of anonymity, said unruly behaviour posed a risk to aviation safety. “I was travelling back from Algeria as a passenger and a full-scale fight started, which disrupted the safety. We diverted to one of the other African countries, where the military came on board and arrested the whole lot ... (I think there were about 20 people detained).

“I spoke to the pilots and they were seriously concerned for the safety of the aircraft and passenger safety.”

South African Cabin Crew Association (Sacca) spokesperson Feroze Kader said the organisation had written to the SABC regarding the incident and awaited the broadcaster’s response. “We have spoken to Safair and our crew have been grounded and given counselling. Alcohol is an issue and if not bought at duty free it should not be allowed on as carry-on baggage.

“Sure, there is no foolproof way ... but efforts must be put in place. Crew have the discretion to not allow people alcohol once they become unruly or a risk to the safety of the flight. It is still like driving on the freeway; some follow the rules, and some drive as if they own the roads,” Kader said.

Sacca deputy president Christopher Shabangu said alcohol abuse was clearly a key factor, particularly since the advent of airport lounges, resulting in some passengers boarding their flight already partially under the influence. However, it would be unfair to deprive all passengers of alcohol due to the bad behaviour of a few.

“Alcohol has been what (some) people enjoy when they fly — it calms them down, and is part of their flying experience,” said Shabangu, who has had personal experience of unruly passengers.

“It happened to me many times when I was a flight attendant. From a safety perspective it becomes difficult because you don’t want to escalate the situation. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, they want what they want. But if you do give them it (a drink) it will maybe get worse,” Shabangu said.

He said cellphone cameras and social media meant aircrew abuse was at last getting the attention it deserved. “Now people can talk about it,” he said.

Recent incidents include a Canadian passenger onboard an American Airlines flight in November, who claimed to be the “captain”, jumping on a flight attendant and tried to open the cabin door.

Closer to home, video footage from 2020 — and shared widely this week — shows a violent passenger resisting cabin crew after he refused to wear a mask on a Johannesburg to Durban flight.

In March last year, a popular MTV presenter was escorted off a CemAir flight from Durban to Johannesburg for refusing to comply with aviation safety regulations. The airline said when a cabin crew member was unable to reason with the “late boarded” passenger, she informed the captain, who tried to reason with the passenger. When this did not work, the passenger was handed over to the police.

On previously reported incidents of unruly passengers, Majola said appropriate punitive action had followed: “Based on reports that have been shared with the regulator on previous unruly passenger incidents, the SACAA had been advised that appropriate actions were taken and we are satisfied with the final outcome after the judiciary processes.”

He said the SACAA did not have a mandate to ban individuals from using airlines, but he confirmed FlySafair had banned Mkhize. It remains to be seen whether other airlines will follow suit. 

The Civil Aviation Act mandates airline operators to report suspected illegal behaviour to law enforcement for investigation. Unruly behaviour is punishable with a prison sentence of up to six months. According to the act, cabin crew members are licensed as safety officers.

Western Cape police spokesperson Sgt Wesley Twigg said the case against Mkhize was still under investigation. 

Sacca’s cabin crew protocol for dealing with unruly passengers:

• The main goal is to try to defuse the situation.
• The passenger/s concerned will then be denied alcoholic beverages and offered something non-alcoholic.
• If the situation persists, the flight attendant must inform the captain.
• The captain will then issue an instruction to subdue the passenger/s — and that may include handcuffing.
• All airlines have cuffs on board.
•  The passenger is then handed over to the police on landing.
• If the situation is severe and there is more than one unruly passenger, the captain can divert and land at the nearest airport.