No. H112/04
For release November 23, 2004

TRANSPORT MINISTER WARNS
AGAINST UNRULY BEHAVIOUR ON AIRCRAFT

OTTAWA - Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre today issued a warning to travellers to avoid disruptive behaviour on aircraft, noting that passengers who interfere with crew members' abilities to perform their safety duties pose an unnecessary risk to the other passengers and could be subject to criminal charges.

"Unruly behaviour on an aircraft is unacceptable and will not be tolerated," said Mr. Lapierre. "The safety of the aircraft, its passengers and crew is paramount."

Minister Lapierre's comments follow an incident involving passengers aboard a flight returning to Montreal from San Andres, Colombia late Monday evening, November 22, 2004. Montreal police are now investigating the incident. Transport Canada has a zero tolerance policy regarding misconduct on aircraft, and is cooperating fully with the police during their investigation.

The Government of Canada has taken a number of steps to help protect the public travelling by air, including:

• Making it a criminal offence (through the Public Safety Act, 2002) to engage in any behaviour that endangers the safety or security of a flight or persons on board and to intefere with crew members.
• Requiring that cockpit doors be locked and making them intrusion- and bullet-proof.
• Sensitizing local police forces and the judicial system to the seriousness of air rage and helping them to understand the applicable rules and regulations under the Aeronautics Act as well as applicable infractions under the Criminal Code.
• Developing regulatory changes that will improve crew training requirements and guidance to air operators to assist in developing programs for detecting, preventing and eliminating potential incidents of disruptive and unruly passenger behaviour, and for effectively managing such incidents when they do occur.
• Developing regulations for the mandatory reporting of incidents that interfere with the safety responsibilities of crew members.

Persons convicted of disruptive behaviour on aircraft could receive a monetary penalty of up to $100,000, a jail sentence of up to five years, or both.

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