Nearly three-quarters of airline or airport staff have been intimidated, shouted at or physically hurt during flight disruptions.
According to research by travel tech specialist IBS Software, 72% have faced air travellers’ wrath during disruption.
Also, 71% of air travel workers say they see an increase in abuse of staff when disruption occurs.
This closely mirrors travellers’ anger, as 73% of aviation workers see customers “furious or frustrated” during delays or cancellations.
Additionally, 55% of workers have seen their mental health negatively impacted.
Also, nearly half say airport disruptions affect their work-life balance.
However, nearly two-thirds believe the airline industry manages disruptions well.
They see one of the main issues as getting accurate information to customers in a timely fashion.
“It’s deeply concerning that so many air travel workers report an increase in abuse to mission critical staff during high stress events,” said Julian Fish, SVP at IBS Software.
“Airlines desperately need the resources to handle disruptions more efficiently, to improve passenger communication, and to alleviate the pressures placed on staff.”
