Unruly passenger incidents are on the increase since the pandemic, but are a small proportion of overall flight numbers, Eoghan Corry told the Drivetime programme on RTE radio.
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The item was in response to the 2022 report from the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) indicates safety of commercial aircraft is facing a growing threat from unruly passengers.
The report indicates that flight crews reported 298 incidents involving difficult or disruptive passengers, making it the second-most common safety concern for pilots. This represents a significant increase compared to pre-Covid times when it ranked lower on the list of risks. In fact, the total number of incidents last year surpassed the combined total of the previous two years.
Eoghan Corry pointed out that IAA research indicates an unruly passenger incident in every 1,424 flights and that in the case of Ireland the odds were even smaller, one in every 4,000 flights, represented by incidents 300 flights out of 1.2m last year.
About 100 of these incidents were classified as posing a medium risk. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has also recognized the issue and launched an awareness campaign in June, as it identified disruptive passengers as an emerging risk for the 2023 summer season.
The IAA’s report highlights that other member states and EASA have observed this notable emergence of the problem following the resumption of operations post-Covid.
The latest annual safety review also confirms that bird strikes continue to pose the biggest risk to the safety of commercial aircraft in Ireland.
A total of 1,343 incidents of bird strikes were reported by pilots in 2022, accounting for almost 1 in 5 of all reports of safety issues last year.
While the vast majority of incidents involving bird-strikes last year were categorised as low-risk, around 150 incidents were rated as posing a medium risk.
The IAA noted that the threat of bird strikes has been increasing since the pandemic due to the “increased presence of wildlife on aerodromes.”
Bird strikes are considered a serious issue in global air travel as one was responsible for one of the most famous incidents in aviation history when it forced a US Airways flight to make an emergency landing on the Hudson River in New York in January 2009.
All 155 passengers and crew on the aircraft survived in a rescue which was dramatised in the 2016 movie, Sully, featuring Tom Hanks in the lead role of the chief pilot, Chesley Sullenburger.
The third most common safety concern reported last year were windshears and microbursts which can lead to sudden, rapid changes in flying conditions with 239 incidents logged.
The latest IAA figures show flight crews reported 186 incidents of interference from laser beams last year – up from 175 in 2021.
Pilots filed 149 reports regarding fatigue concerns. According to a recent report by the European Cockpit Association, 4 out of 10 Irish pilots claimed they typically don’t have enough time to recover from fatigue between duties. Additionally, nearly two-thirds of the pilots expressed their belief that the risk of fatigue is not effectively managed by their airlines. These findings highlight the importance of addressing pilot fatigue to ensure the safety of both the crew and passengers.
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) safety review also revealed that pilots reported concerns about incidents related to lightning strikes and encounters with turbulence. It’s essential for airlines to have robust measures in place to mitigate these risks and ensure the safety of their flights.
In terms of accidents involving Irish-registered commercial aircraft, the IAA recorded four non-fatal accidents last year, which is the same figure as the previous year. These accidents solely involved passengers suffering injuries during the aircraft’s disembarkation.
Last year, pilots on Irish airlines and Irish-registered aircraft submitted a significant number of mandatory occurrence reports, totaling 7,532. This represents about 1.2% of all commercial flights and indicates a strong reporting culture within the industry. Despite the challenges faced during the return to normal operations, the IAA commended the commitment of aviation staff to maintaining this reporting culture.
According to the IAA, the chances of experiencing a safety occurrence on a flight operated by an Irish registered aircraft are extremely low. The IAA stated that over 98% of these flights went without any safety occurrences that required reporting to them. Furthermore, over 99.99% of these flights were not involved in any accidents or serious incidents.
The IAA also emphasized that the majority of mandatory occurrence reports submitted to them are classified as “low risk.” However, they acknowledged the importance of continuously monitoring these events to ensure that they remain under control.
These statistics highlight the overall safety record of Irish registered aircraft, with the vast majority of flights operating without any significant safety issues. Nevertheless, it is crucial to maintain a vigilant approach to safety and continue monitoring and managing any potential risks.
