A BUDGET airline has called for industry-wide measures to tackle the increasing problem of disruptive passengers.
Jet2.com, which operates from Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, said further measures are needed to protect staff and other passengers from passengers who board their planes intoxicated with alcohol and become abusive.
The company said it is backed by some of the UK's biggest travel operators, in what it says is now a serious problem for the travel sector.
It comes after a holidaymaker, who forced a jet to make an emergency landing because of his drunken behaviour, was jailed for nine months.
Andrew Tosh, 34, from Dundee, was taken off a Thomas Cook plane by police from Glasgow to Dalaman, Turkey, after it was forced to land at Gatwick because of his actions.
Last week he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a stewardess following May's incident.
Sussex Police issued a video clip of the incident in which Tosh appeared to be drunk, as part of a crackdown on disruptive air passengers.
In it, passengers are seen helping to restrain Tosh before the landing.
Phil Ward, managing director of Jet2.com said: "We are a family airline and holiday company carrying millions of passengers every year.
"These are people who have chosen to take their well-earned summer breaks with us and we want them to have a wonderful time. Therefore, under no circumstances will we allow the disruptive few to spoil the experience for the majority of the fantastic customers that fly with us."
He added the company is working closely with other high profile holiday companies, industry bodies such as the British Air Transport Association, the Airport Operators Association and the UK's leading airports, to put in place a series of comprehensive measures to tackle disruptive conduct associated with air travel.
The company said the past two years have seen a huge rise in disorderly behaviour often linked to excessive alcohol consumption prior to embarkation has risen drastically on-board aircraft.
It added that cabin crew increasingly have to deal with people displaying abusive, racist and often noisy and aggressive conduct, causing misery and disruption for other passengers nearby.
The company said it has an educational scheme to ensure passengers are aware of the impact of alcohol on their bodies at high altitude and to outline its policies.
It has also empowered its staff to take decisions quickly regarding disruptive passengers including verbal and written warnings. It can culprits with a bill for the cost of the diversion and taking legal action, post travel.
Jet2 and other operations have written to Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin urging the UK Government to take more decisive action and help enforce new policies to combat the problem.
Thomas Cook said previously it has a 'zero tolerance' policy towards any behaviour which affects the safety and welfare of passenger and crew.
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