Russian air crews would be allowed to handcuff unruly passengers under new law

A new law envisioning cabin crews using devices to restrain unruly or drunk passengers has passed the first reading in the Russian Lower House of Parliament.

The proposed amendments to the Air Code would authorize the pilot in command to take measures of enforcement against passengers who “pose a threat to the health and security of other passengers and refuse to obey the orders” using restraint devices.

A list of onboard devices that could be used against unruly passengers is currently being discussed in parliament. While the cosponsors of the bill agreed that plastic handcuffs for hands and ankles would be effective, Tasers were ruled out as they could be used against crew members. MP Alexander Starovoitov, the cosponsor of the legislation pointed out that today it’s mostly passengers who help the crew to subdue brawlers by using what is at hand, such as scarves or towels.

Aggressive behavior of drunk and unruly passengers often results in delayed or cancelled flights. In April, a drunk traveler on flight from Bangkok to Moscow was restrained by a fellow passenger after trying to exit the plane through the emergency escape hatch. Earlier this month a plane flying from Moscow to Crimea was forced to return after one of the passengers assaulted fellow travelers and crew. The man was critically injured in a scuffle and later died.

Russian legislators and air industry unions have come up with numerous initiatives against in-flight troublemakers. Some of them included airline blacklisting and harsh penalties such as imprisonment.

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