There have been plenty of stories in the media of passengers being removed from flights because they’ve been threatening or uncooperative towards members of cabin crew.
Sometimes flights are even diverted simply to remove an unruly person on board.
If flight attendants really need to, can they restrain a passenger on a flight?
The answer appears to be a resounding yes.
Former pilots and flight attendants shared their experiences on online forum Quora.
Jim Doll, a senior systems engineer, said: “Some Airlines have the plastic zip-tie type cuffs.
“Others use the seat-belt extenders the flight attendants use for the safety demo to bind the hands.”
David Kensal, a former pilot with 50 years in the aviation industry, agreed.
“We carried zip tie type restraints in the cockpit,” he said.
“We also had to carry cutters to take them off or we couldn’t use them.”
Carla Meston, a former purser, added: “They were used only in extreme circumstances.
“Meaning if the crew felt the passenger was a big enough concern to harm him or herself or other passengers onboard the aircraft, they would be restrained and placed in a minimally accessed area. So they would not be angered any further or panicked/ antagonised by other passengers.
“Then they would be met by officials at the first stop and removed from the aircraft.”
This comes after Express.co.uk reported on the one thing passengers should do if they wish to receive better service on board a flight.
A smile goes a long way according to many flight attendants.
Air hostess Olivia Roqua said: “I’m sorry to say that more often than not, passengers do not say thank you. The positive here is that when passengers DO smile and say thanks, I appreciate it so much and will do almost anything for them.”
