China to slap fines up to US$7,500 on unruly airline passengers

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BEIJING: China’s unruly plane passengers who use mobile phones, smoke or occupy seats by force on aircraft will face hefty fines of up to USD7,500 under a proposed revision to a civil aviation law, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reports.

Those who use other prohibited electronic devices on planes or cause disturbances by filing false reports on dangerous goods will also be subjected to the same penalty, PTI quoted Hong Kong based South China Morning Post.

The Civil Aviation Administration posted the new proposed law, revised from its previous two-decade-old regulation on its website this week, seeking public opinion on the revision until next month.

The administration’s new proposed law now stipulates more than 10 types of bad behaviour at airports or on planes that will be subjected to financial penalties of up to 50,000 yuan (USD7500) much higher than the present fine that amounts to only a few hundred yuan.

Violations include hijacking planes, kidnapping passengers, barging into aircraft or airports, bringing on board weapons or other dangerous items, occupying seats or luggage carriers by force, and occupying or blocking service counters or security check passages.

People who obstruct crew members from their duties or instigate other passengers to do so will also face punishment.

Many disputes between flight passengers and crew members occur because passengers refuse to switch off their mobile phones on the plane.–BERNAMA

New Strait Times Online