ABSTRACT
The issue of passenger misconduct, ranging from verbal abuse to assault in the aircraft cabin, has achieved wide spread recognition in recent years as a result of victims' advocacy, labour and industry initiatives, and media attention. The term 'air rage' is a label now used by the media not only for high profile cases but encompasses all forms of passenger behaviour causing a disturbance. Not formally defined within the airline industry or in academic circles, the airline industry prefers to use euphemisms such as disruptive and/or unruly passengers when referring to on board incidents of passenger misconduct. Crew member labour associations, on the other hand, refer to such incidents as interference with crew members. The term 'interference with crew members' stems from existing legislation and defines actions that disrupt crews in the performance of their job functions. The choice of terminology is significant, each pointing to different interests vested in the occurrence of passenger misconduct. The media looks for sensational headlines; airlines are more cautious and aim to strike a cautious balance, while crew member labour associations immediately imply the vilification of the air traveler, with punishment as a main source for retribution. The Transport Canada Working Group formed in 1998 saw the different stakeholder interests played out in its first round of meetings. l Initially called 'Working Group on Abusive and Unruly Passengers,' representatives of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) recommended changing the title of the Working Group to 'The Working Group on Interference with Crew Members' .2
