Of the 266 incidents of passenger misconduct recorded by British Airways in 1997, more than half were caused by frustrated smokers. The cards inform offenders about possible arrest should the disruptive behavior continue. Patricia Friend understands these problems. As president of the Association of Flight Attendants, the country's largest flight attendant union with 43,000 members, she believes airlines deserve at least some of the blame for the growing numbers of disgruntled, and often violent, passengers. But small seats, stifling airplanes and unrealized expectations are no justification for the growing number of passengers who assault airline crew members.
People are rude, less patient and more aggressive.
And when you're flying in an airplane at 30,000 feet, you can't dial 911. Renee Sheffer's husband, Mike, oversees the Sky Rage Foundation, a watchdog organization launched shortly after his wife's brutal attack. According to Mike Sheffer, the most perplexing difficulty in prosecuting offenders lies with law enforcement jurisdiction. But after an attack, it's often local law enforcement officers who meet the inbound aircraft. In most cases, local police do not have the authority to arrest a passenger who is suspected of committing a violent act in flight.