Dubai: The departure of flydubai flight FZ 1807 from Dubai International (DXB) to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion (TLV) on August 25 was delayed as a result of ‘passenger disruption’, the airline said in a statement to Gulf News on Saturday.
“flydubai liaised with the relevant authorities prior to departure and the flight departed from DXB at 01:41 (local time) on August 26,” a flydubai spokesperson said.
“We apologise for the inconvenience caused to our passengers' travel schedules. The safety of our passengers and crew is our priority.”
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Unruly passenger incidents instances surged by 47 per cent globally last year compared to 2021. This surge occurred even as pandemic-related restrictions eased, according to data published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The rate of reported incidents of unruly behaviour rose from 1 incident per 835 flights to 1 per 568 flights during that period, IATA found.
IATA attributed last year’s jump in noncompliance to infractions ranging from passengers’ smoking cigarettes or vaping on planes to failing to fasten their seat belts, and refusing to stow cabin baggage during takeoff and landing.
Earlier this year, the UAE ratified the Montreal Protocol 2014 (MP14). This step enhances the global legal framework to discourage disruptive incidents caused by passengers onboard flights.
Starting from May 1, the UAE possesses jurisdiction to handle cases of unruly passengers who land in the country, regardless of the aircraft's registration. This addresses a gap in international aviation law that has often led to a lack of legal action against such behaviour.
An IATA survey revealed that 60 per cent of member airlines identified jurisdictional limitations as a significant obstacle to prosecution.
