IATA is looking forward to 1 January 2020. On that day Montreal Protocol 2014 (MP14), a global treaty that strengthens the powers of states to prosecute unruly airline passengers comes into effect. Disruptive passenger incidents on board flights include physical assault, harassment, smoking or failing to follow crew instructions.

These incidents may compromise flight safety, cause significant delays and operational disruption and adversely impact the travel experience and work environment for passengers and crew.

More properly named the Protocol to Amend the Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft, MP14 closes a legal gap which gave jurisdiction over offenses committed on board international flights to the state where the aircraft is registered. That however, frequently causes issues when the passengers are delivered to the authorities upon landing in foreign territories.

“Everybody on board is entitled to enjoy a journey free from abusive or other unacceptable behavior. But the deterrent to unruly behavior is weak. About 60% of offenses go unpunished because of jurisdictional issues. MP14 strengthens the deterrent to unruly behavior by enabling prosecution in the state where the aircraft lands. The treaty is in force. But the job is not done. We encourage more states to ratify MP14 so that unruly passengers can be prosecuted according to uniform global guidelines,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

On  November 26, Nigeria became the 22nd state to ratify MP14.

IATA said states should also review the effectiveness of the enforcement mechanisms available to them in line with ICAO Guidance on Legal Aspects of Unruly and Disruptive Passengers which gives information on how civil and administrative fines and penalties can be used to supplement criminal prosecutions.

In addition to strengthening jurisdiction and enforcement, airlines are working on a range of measures to help prevent incidents and manage them more effectively when they do happen. These include enhanced crew training and raising awareness with passengers of the potential consequences of unruly behavior on board.