Aurigny airline is now fitting crew members with cameras to catch passengers exhibiting "aggressive" behavior. (iStock)
Airline staff have a rough deal when it comes to dealing with troublesome passengers.
Every week another story emerges about a traveller going berserk in the middle of a flight.
Just this week, a British airline passenger was in court for threatening to pee "on the floor" after he was told he could not use the toilet on a Flybe from Birmingham to Amsterdam last May.
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In other incidents, passengers have caused trouble and bystanders only start to record on their camera phones when the cabin crew push back — making it look like the airline is in the wrong.
The problems have now got so bad that one airline has started to fit its ground staff with body cameras so they can record any problems.
Guernsey airline Aurigny has installed the cameras by company Edesix Ltd in uniforms worn by crew, who man flights to the U.K. and France.
Dave Cox, the ground operations manager for Aurigny, spoke with The New York Times about the company's decision.
“As a small community airline, a vast majority of our passengers are very friendly, polite, respectful, and often know our staff personally.
“However, like with all carriers, you may occasionally encounter individuals who can be rude, aggressive and abusive to our staff.”
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Richie McBride, the chief executive of Edesix Ltd, reckons it won't be long before airlines start handing out the cameras to their flight attendants.
Amanda Pleva, a flight attendant and aviation blogger on FlyerTalk, isn't so sure though.
“Times are tense enough in the skies as it is right now, and I can’t imagine that flyers’ knowledge that I’m wearing a body camera wouldn’t turn the heat up several degrees on that.
“Both sides of a conflict can start video at will, so neither perspective would be the entire one, and I don’t want to be in an environment where my passengers will automatically view me as an opponent.
“I have been painted in a bad light by passengers who have had ulterior motives, but the truth has always come out via witnesses when I know I’ve done the best job I’m able to do.
“I have done this for years and am confident I can continue to do my job this way for years to come. But if body cameras are the future of flying, it might be coming time to hang up my wings.”
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