Banned for life? UK airlines push for shared no-fly list for disruptive travellers
The UK aviation industry is moving closer to a system that could see disruptive passengers banned from flying with all UK airlines, potentially for life, as ministers and carriers work on a national list for repeat offenders.
As reported by Sky News, officials at the UK Department for Transport and the Home Office are developing proposals that would allow airlines to share information about passengers involved in serious incidents of unruly behaviour on board, particularly those involving alcohol-fuelled abuse, threats to crew, or other similar behaviour that jeopardises flight safety.
As part of the shared ban concept, when airlines have notified authorities about disruptive passengers, participating airlines would be alerted if those passengers tried to book flights in the future. Repeat offenders could be refused carriage, with the most serious cases potentially resulting in industry-wide bans on flying.
Airlines push for a national no-fly list
The initiative follows growing concern among UK carriers about unruly passenger incidents.
Earlier this year, Jet2 called for the creation of a national database of disruptive passengers after a rowdy brawl among two unruly passengers forced a flight diversion. The airline argued that passengers banned by one carrier can currently book flights with another because airlines cannot share information under existing data-protection rules.
“Additional measures for the most serious cases of disruption, including the creation of a national ban list, are an important next step in ensuring a tiny minority of passengers cannot disrupt air travel for the majority,” Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, told Sky News. “We welcome the government’s support for further action and will work closely with ministers on delivering the right solutions.”
A ‘pubwatch’ scheme for UK airlines
The new proposal would be similar to a pubwatch for airlines, where being barred by one would result in being barred by others. The threat of not being allowed to fly on other carriers operating in the UK might be enough to discourage passengers from imbibing too much before boarding an aircraft.
The proposal comes amid renewed industry efforts to tackle excessive drinking before flights.
UK aviation groups this week relaunched the “One Too Many” campaign, warning passengers that disruptive behaviour can result in denied boarding, criminal prosecution, substantial fines and permanent airline bans. Campaign materials highlight that causing a flight diversion can expose passengers to costs of up to £80,000.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has called for restrictions on airport alcohol sales, arguing that airlines are increasingly dealing with intoxicated passengers and costly diversions. He has also backed the idea of a national database for disruptive travellers. Sky News reports that the airline has seen a sharp increase in flight diversions caused by disorderly passengers over the past decade, from one incident a week to one a day.
Unruly passengers are a persistent safety issue
Unruly passenger incidents have posed a threat to flight safety for decades, and the industry has been pushing for government policy changes to discourage misbehaviour on aircraft.
Statistics gathered by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) show that some of the measures taken to discourage unruly passengers could be working. The industry saw a decline in incidents last year, from one incident every 307 flights in 2024 to one incident every 355 flights in 2025. Although global incident rates eased in 2025, airlines argue that the most serious cases remain highly disruptive and expensive.
“While the decline is welcome, the industry is not complacent, and we continue to pursue a zero-tolerance approach,” IATA states in its fact sheet on unruly passengers. “Addressing the issue of unruly and disruptive behaviour on flights requires a two-pillar approach focusing on enhancing the international legal deterrent and better prevention and management of incidents.”
The UK has tough penalties for disruptive behaviour on board aircraft, including fines, imprisonment and liability for diversion costs. Airlines can also impose their own bans, but those restrictions currently apply only to the carrier that issued them.
The proposed national passenger ‘barred list’ could change that. For now, it remains in the development stage. Government officials will meet with airlines and industry groups to discuss how information sharing could work within existing legal and privacy frameworks.
If adopted, the UK’s data-sharing approach to unruly passenger management could set a precedent for the global airline industry.
Featured Image: Aldo Bidini | Wikimedia Commons
