Still on the three ‘drunk’ unruly passengers

When it comes to air travel, there are two primary classes that passengers can choose from: business class and economy class.

While Business class is typically more expensive and provides a more luxurious experience, economy class on the other hand  is more affordable and provides a more basic level of service.

In other words, while Business class is a higher class of travel offered by airlines, typically providing a higher level of services than economy class, Economy class is the standard seating class offered by airlines for passengers traveling on a budget.

While all the comfort and benefits attached to Business Class come with huge finances, the Economy Class provides an affordable option for travelers and typically offers less space and fewer amenities than the Business Class or Premium.

All these information should ordinarily not be strange to any air traveler as they are well spelt out at the point of purchasing travel tickets and beside that there is a wide margin between the  fares that make up the different seating categories onboard any aircraft.

In other words, there is no ambiguity in the fares as it is known that at the point of being issued your boarding pass, the first class or premium class passengers have total different boarding pass issued to them while the one issued to economy class passengers are also different.

Even, nobody needs to tell an economy passenger that a first class or premium passenger must definitely enjoy better privileges because of the higher fares they pay to enjoy such comfort.

Therefore, there is no way an economy passenger who pays between N400,000 and N500,000 should expect to enjoy same benefits with a first class, business class or premium travelers who would have parted with as much as N800,000 or N1.2 million.

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Little wonder why Airlines, as backed up by aviation rules remain very strict on seating rules onboard flights.

In view of this, it becomes illegal for an economy class ticket carrier to suddenly upgrade himself to a business class for example  without the approval from the cabin crew onboard.

With all the obvious rules guiding sitting arrangements onboard flights, it therefore becomes unambiguous to go against this except if such a passenger has an ulterior motive, any passenger that forcefully violate this law falls under the category of ‘unruly’ entity and therefore deserves any applicable punishment.

Such unruly passenger can even be tagged dangerous as the intention behind the unruly conduct is capable of not only disrupting the flight, but create tension and psychological trauma on innocent passengers onboard same flight.

It, therefore, became unfortunate to hear how three passengers who got themselves drunk aboard an Air Peace flight from London to Lagos disrupted the flight due to the demeaning attitude they displayed on the flight.

The economy Class passengers under the influence of alcohol, besides going on rampage by shouting on top of their voices in an embarrassing manner and disrupting the peace of the flight went further to upgrade themselves to business class in violation of the Section 4(1)(a)(b) of the FAAN Bye-Law 2005.

Luckily, while the shenanigans lasted, the crew members on the flight acted professionally as they reported the case in advance to their landing at the Murtala Muhammed international airport to the aviation security who at once arrested them and dragged them before the court of law.

It is gratifying that the unruly passengers have been arraigned before the Magistrate Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Magisterial District to answer for their actions which were  deemed a breach of public peace under Section 168(1)(d) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

Again, for unlawfully upgrading themselves from their originally assigned economy class seats to the business class section without authorization they have violated Section 4(1)(a)(b) of the FAAN Bye-Law 2005.

At the end of the case if they are lucky, they may be fined, but if not they may be sent to prison to serve jail terms and by that time, the alcohol would have left them with the reality dawning on them that their unruly attitude has caused them serious damages.

Apart from the above,another of such case came after a female passenger onboard an Ibom Air flight recently disrupted the Uyo/Abuja bound flight because of baggage. She has since appeared in court.

Since the case of passengers unruly behavior is now increasing, the onus falls on the country’s aviation authorities to embark on enlightenment campaigns to draw the attention of passengers to the consequences of unruly behaviour on flights.

Equally, air travelers should realize the fact that because aviation is global, the laws guiding it is therefore universal hence, violation of any part of the rules of the engagement will be fully meted to the culprit.