The global representative body for the airline industry, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has welcomed the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE’s) ratification of the Montreal Protocol 2014 (MP14). This gives the UAE jurisdiction over passengers who are unruly on flights arriving at the country’s airports, regardless of the nationality of the airliner carrying the passengers, or that of the unruly passengers themselves.

The UAE is home to two of the world’s major airlines, Emirates and Etihad, as well as other carriers. The country is the forty-fourth to ratify MP14. 

Unruliness on airliners includes physical assault, harassment, smoking, and failure to follow crew instructions. Apart from creating an unpleasant work environment for crews and a bad travel experience for other passengers, such behaviours can cause delays, operational disruptions and even pose flight safety risks.

But in countries that have not ratified MP14, prosecution of unruly passengers is often difficult, if not actually impossible, because of jurisdictional issues. In a survey, 60% of IATA-member airlines reported that lack of jurisdiction was a crucial reason for failures to prosecute such disruptive passengers.

“IATA welcomes the leadership shown by the UAE in ratifying MP14,” affirmed IATA regional VP Africa & Middle East Kamil Al-Awadhi. “Not only will this give the UAE authorities important new powers in dealing with unruly passengers that land in the country, but as a major aviation market and [International Civil Aviation Organisation] Council member, it will also encourage other States to ratify MP14. Ensuring greater international harmonisation, and strengthening the legal deterrent against unruly and disruptive passengers who pose a threat to passenger and crew wellbeing and safety onboard is a priority for the entire airline industry.”

Major aviation countries in the Middle East have been leaders in the adoption of MP14, he pointed out. The Protocol had previously been ratified by Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. With the addition of the UAE, the Middle East now accounts for 16% of the countries which have ratified MP14.