Russian carriers are lobbying the government to amend the Aviation Code to allow them to confiscate alcohol from passengers in an effort to stop alcohol-induced violence on flights.
The proposed amendments, which are supported by Transportation Ministry, would even concern alcoholic beverages bought in duty free, Rossiiskaya Gazeta reported Monday, citing a ministry source.
While the measure would not concern alcohol served during flights, alcoholic beverages bought in duty free would be collected by flight attendants and returned to passengers at the end of the flight. The amendments would also require passengers who bought alcohol on board to store it with the crew.
While fines for violent and abusive behavior were increased from 100 rubles to 1,500 rubles ($3 to $50) in 2009, Russian airlines have said that alcohol-induced violence during flights is on the rise.
The government-owned paper said that one Russian airline had reported more than 1,000 accidents involving violent behavior mid-flight over the past year and a half.
Roman Gusarov, head of the Avia-Ru Network industry portal, called the measure "understandable."
"Drunk passengers cause a lot of problems to airlines," Gusarov said.
In October, a 22-year-old man was arrested after he told fellow passengers as their S7 jet was preparing for takeoff from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky that a bomb was hidden on board the aircraft. No bomb was found after a search.
In 2010, Alexei Beketov, a lawmaker representing Tikhvin in the Leningrad region, started a fight with a flight attendant while flying to Paris as a member of an official delegation. The deputy was drunk, members of the Rossia carrier said at the time.
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