Article supplied by CASA
CASA is urging travellers to follow the rules and show consideration to airline and airport staff as well as each other during the upcoming school holidays.
To ensure safety and respect when travelling by air during this term break and beyond, we’re supporting the ‘No More Carry On’ campaign.
It’s a call for patience and preparedness as travellers, airline crew and airport teams once again face a peak in airline travel.
‘We’re really pleased to be involved again in this important safety initiative,’ says CASA CEO and Director of Aviation Safety Pip Spence.
‘We understand and appreciate people are excited to be travelling again ¬– especially during these school holidays – and that’s evident by just how full flights currently are.
‘But passengers need to be mindful they may sometimes face long waiting queues, flight delays, and missing baggage. And while that can be frustrating, it’s no excuse for bad behaviour towards airport and airline staff or other passengers.
‘It’s also against the law to behave in an offensive or disorderly manner on board an aircraft, or to disregard the safety instructions of airline crew.
‘Harmful and unruly behaviour puts everyone’s safety at risk and can disrupt the important safety duties of airline crew, cause distractions during critical phases of flight and jeopardise the safety of other passengers.
‘As the aviation safety regulator, our role is to help ensure that when passengers and crew board a plane they get to their destination safely. We want everyone flying these school holidays travelling or working in a safe environment.
‘Under our aviation safety rules substantial penalties can be imposed for offensive or disorderly behaviour on board an aircraft and for failing to comply with any safety-related instructions. This can include fines of up to $15,650 (per offence) and in some cases up to 2 years’ imprisonment.
‘So please don’t take your frustrations out on staff or other passengers.
‘While on board we also encourage you to listen to the safety briefings and follow all airline crew directions and requests.
‘Once again, we strongly support this campaign and we really want you to enjoy these school holidays and travel safely, wherever your exiting destination may be.
More information is available on the A4ANZ website.