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The Faces of Air Rage

NCJ Number
201633
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 72 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2003 Pages: 6-9
Author(s)
Harry A. Kern M.Ed.
Date Published
August 2003
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article explains the concept of air rage.
Abstract
The term air rage is a functional, popular term for disruptive or violent incidents that occur either within an aircraft or in an airport terminal. Air rage is not a legal term, and the lack of a clear definition of air rage often makes recognizing air rage difficult. The article explains the types of behaviors that constitute air rage and some of the contributing factors of air rage, such as mental illness, stress, frustration, or drug and alcohol intoxication. It also discusses the problems in assessing air rage, which stem in part from differing reporting mechanisms between governmental agencies and airline companies. Another contributing problem is a lack of adequate training on the subject for airline personnel. The ability of law enforcement to enforce laws governing passenger behavior relies mainly on the cooperation of airline personnel and passengers.