CUPE flight attendants blitzed airports in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in July, handing out leaflets and buttons with the slogan zero air rage to the travelling public. The Airline Division along with other civil aviation unions all over the world took part in a day of action to highlight the need for governments and the air transport industry to take action against disruptive passengers.
We want the federal government to enact better laws to deal with offences that happen on board flights. We need improved industry rules and procedures to protect staff and passengers and there must be a better air travel environment to reduce frustrations for passengers, explained Denise Hill, president of CUPEs Airline Division.
In recent years there has been an increasing number of assaults or verbal abuse by passengers against airport personnel and airline crew or other passengers on board flights. Industry statistics suggest that incidents on board aircraft have risen between 400 and 700 per cent in the last five years.