The first class versus economy class divide is fuelling more passenger resentment on flights, leading to more incidents of air rage, according to research.
Surprising findings from a study by researchers at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management and Harvard Business School says the presence of a first class cabin makes the possibility of air rage four times more likely in economy class.
Researchers said when economy passengers have to pass through a first class cabin to get to the cheap seats it only reinforces the sense of inequality.
The study, published in the Proceedings Journal of the National Academy of Sciences, collated data from an unnamed airline over several years and thousands of flights.
The research found that, on average, air rage incidents occurred in economy class 1.58 times every 1,000 flights.
That number fell to only 0.14 per 1,000 flights in the first class cabin.
“The very definition of the air rage phenomenon is that it has to endanger the safety of the flight. It has to be pretty extreme to warrant documentation,” said author Katherine DeCelles, a professor at the University of Toronto.
Still, other more obvious reasons also contributed to in-flight anger and, occasionally, physical confrontation such as lack of legroom, delays and alcohol, although to a lesser degree than is widely accepted.
