A combination of drunkenness, cramped cabins and growing passenger stress are fuelling a sharp rise in air rage, according to travel experts, who say disruptive incidents are far higher now than before the pandemic.

Helen Cleaver experienced firsthand the risks of drunkenness on planes during a flight from Stansted to Ibiza. 

She revealed to Which? that when a group of intoxicated stag-do travellers became violent before landing, a fight broke out, which saw one man bitten on the ear and Spanish police storming the plane on arrival. 

According to Cleaver, the men were already drunk when they boarded, yet were served more alcohol on the flight. 

Such incidents are no longer isolated, with Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data revealing that airlines reported 390 serious cases of intoxicated, violent or unruly passengers in 2019. 

By 2023, the number had surged to 1,245, and remaining above 1,000 in 2024. 

These figures only include the most serious cases, such as assaults on crew and restrained passengers on flight diversions, which indicates the true scale of the problem is much bigger.

Globally, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recorded one disruptive passenger incident for every 395 flights in 2024.

Cabin crew say alcohol is the single biggest trigger, with one former British Airways flight attendant suggesting a total ban on alcoholic drinks, as this would prevent most incidents. 

However, they added that airlines and airports profit too heavily from alcohol sales to make this likely.

In terms of enforcement, both passengers and former crew say this is inconsistent. 

Cleaver told Which? that cabin crew continued serving alcohol to visibly drunk passengers on her flight, with one attendant telling her: 'They can get nasty if we don’t.'

Other travellers described intoxicated groups behaving aggressively at gates before boarding without intervention.  

Alcohol isn't the only trigger - in the confined space of a plane, minor irritations are bound to arise. 

A growing number of passengers report tensions caused by overcrowding and exhaustion, with frequent disputes over reclining seats, armrests, personal space and children.

Studies also link violent incidents to long delays, crowded boarding gates and night flights, while shrinking seating space adds to frustration. 

The average seat pitch has fallen from around 34 inches in 1975 to about 30 inches today, with researchers warning that when limited space becomes a 'threatened resource', passengers are more likely to react angrily.  

CAA data shows incidents of 'air rage' peak in May and June, driven by stag and hen parties, despite August being the busiest month for travel. 

The highest-risk times are Thursday afternoons and Fridays, and outbound holiday flights account for over 60 per cent of disruptive incidents despite making up just 35 per cent of UK flights.

Airports say warning campaigns and stricter enforcement are beginning to work, with incidents dipping slightly in 2024 after a record high. 

Airlines say they operate zero-tolerance policies, as Airlines UK says its members take a firm stance.

While easyJet says staff can deny boarding or refuse alcohol, Ryanair blames excessive drinking in airport terminals rather than on board - though both airlines have continued to run drinks promotions.