Without proper rules this situation will never change

Shane Enright, ITF

Their call comes on the eve of Global Zero Air Rage Day on Friday when the federation will call for an international treaty by next year to ensure that all countries follow a common procedure to enforce the law against offenders.

Many airlines have no set anti-air rage policy and few provide training for staff on how to deal with abusive passengers, says the union.

Dangerous attacks

ITF spokeswoman Sarah Finch told BBC News Online: "These are dangerous incidences. Planes need to carry restraints and there needs to be proper training of staff."

She said that an international treaty was essential to end disputes about which country had the jurisdiction to deal with air rage incidences.

But Britain leads the way in this in that if the flight has landed in Heathrow it will accept jurisdiction.

Ground and cabin crews' trade unions and transport ministers will meet on Friday as part of Global Zero Air Rage Day, now in its second year.

Only half of airlines have policies to tackle the growing problem of air rage, according to the ITF research.

Two thirds of airlines do not provide any training for cabin crew in tackling disruptive passengers, it said.

Fewer than one in five airlines provide any disruptive-passenger training for ground crew.

Violent passengers

Most airlines do not carry equipment for restraining passengers in cases of extreme violence or aggression, they said.

Shane Enright, secretary of the federation's civil aviation section, said some countries had excellent legislation in place including the US, UK and Australia.

"But we say it's still a lottery. Flying on too many airlines and to too many countries, you're still unprotected. Without proper rules this situation will never change."

The ITF wants governments to have in place, or nearly in place, by the end of 2002, laws which give their police forces and courts the power to prosecute all incidents which occur on any flight from any country which lands in their territory.

In addition, an international convention under the auspices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation should be ready for all governments to sign by the end of 2003.

Under UK laws introduced in 1999, disruptive passengers face up to two years in jail or a �2,000 fine.