Air rage must be logged

BRITISH AIRLINES have been told to report every incident involving disruptive or dangerous passengers as part of government moves to eliminate "air rage".

From next month airlines must give details of incidents to the Civil Aviation Authority. This will include information onwhether alcohol was a factor, and if a smoking ban was an issue. A spokesman said it would take about six months before the CAA would be able to offer an analysis of the causes of air rage.

Captain Mike Vivian, CAA head of flight operations, said: "We ... need to be able to study the data to help provide a long-term solution."

Airlines in Britain have reported a 400 per cent increase in attacks over the past three years. In January, the pilot of a Boeing 767 heading for the Caribbean diverted to the USafter a fight broke out; 12 people were taken off the aircraft.