# Are there airliners carrying dedicated equipment to restrain an out of control passenger? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 22, 2016, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348 "2016-12-22T07:22:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/1 "2016-12-22T07:22:21Z")
When I read about air rage incidents like [in this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=814317), a common feature seems that the disruptive passenger was trussed up by improvised means (rope, really? Sometimes even with fellow passengers’ belts nor neckties). Are there airlines that carry designated restraining equipment for tying up a person in a non-improvised way and/or have a designated position to place a passenger who needs to be restrained? An example from railways: When subtypes of French and German high speed trains were constructed to operate on the other railway’s system, apart from the obvious features like signalling system and traction voltage/frequency one requirement that the German train had to fulfil for French approval was one compartment to be fitted with strong brackets to handcuff passengers to. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/2 "2016-12-22T07:30:46Z")
> [@](#): > > Extremely unruly passengers who must be restrained are restrained using a variety of methods. Some airlines carry flexcuffs for this purpose. Others use seatbelts, adhesive tape, neckties, shoe laces, or whatever is available on the aircraft. While the United States does not allow passengers to actually be confined to the seat or any other part of the aircraft, and only allows their individual body parts to be restrained, other countries, such as Iceland, do allow tying an unruly passenger to the seat.[1] From here: [Air rage - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unruly_aircraft_passenger) ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/3 "2016-12-22T07:33:45Z")
Interesting you should ask…just yesterday morning, listening to my local radio station, and it was reported there was a disruptive passenger on a flight…BUT…although the flight attendants had stuff like rope and tasers at their disposal, they were inadequately trained to actually USE those restraints. It ended up being another passenger who did know how to tie the ropes etc that kept the moron restrained until landing. I’ll see if I can dig up a cite of the event… ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/4 "2016-12-22T08:47:53Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > From here: [Air rage - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unruly_aircraft_passenger) … _While the United States does not allow passengers to actually be confined to the seat or any other part of the aircraft, and only allows their individual body parts to be restrained, other countries, such as Iceland, do allow tying an unruly passenger to the seat_ The original source to that statement in the Wikipedia article is gone (and I cannot find it on [archive.org](http://archive.org) either). Short of dismemberment, which cabin crew probably lacks proper equipment and training for too, what’s the difference between confining a passenger _in toto_ and restraining individual body parts? ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/5 "2016-12-22T09:12:51Z")
> [@Mops](#): > > The original source to that statement in the Wikipedia article is gone (and I cannot find it on [archive.org](http://archive.org) either). Short of dismemberment, which cabin crew probably lacks proper equipment and training for too, what’s the difference between confining a passenger _in toto_ and restraining individual body parts? I think the point is that you can, e.g., handcuff his wrists together behind his back, but you can’t handcuff his wrist to a fixed part of the plane. (Presumably on the thinking that he has to be able to participate in an emergency evacuation, should the occasion arise.) ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/6 "2016-12-22T09:22:39Z")
> [@Mops](#): > > what’s the difference between confining a passenger _in toto_ and restraining individual body parts? Apparently, it’s an issue of safety. There was a movie back in the 1970’s where this was a plot point. (Starring Jack Nicholson, called _The Last Detail_, I think). \* In the movie, military policemen are escorting a prisoner to prison in another city, using public transportation–a Greyhound bus. The prisoner escapes because they remove his restraints. The reason for removing them was given in the movie as a “safety precaution”–if the vehicle is involved in an accident or fire breaks out, the prisoner has to be free enough to move away from the llife-threatening danger. So I’m guessing that on an airplane, you can handcuff an unruly passenger with his hands behind his back, but you can’t cuff him to the seat. \*disclaimer–it’s been 40 years since I saw the movie, so I may be wrong. But it’s really interesting how a random thread like this brings back old memories that I would never know I had. 🙂 (on edit-----oops–ninja’ed by 10 minutes. I should have hit "reply’ _before_ I answered that phone call. 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/7 "2016-12-22T09:46:47Z")
Working for an Australian company. We carry wrist restraints similar to cable ties but we don’t carry tasers or guns. Flight attendants are taught self defence techniques with a refresher course each year. It is acknowledged that a flight attendant may not have the physical strength to overpower a passenger and other able bodied passengers are expected to help if needed. The reality of our work is that we fly scheduled closed charters and everyone on board the aircraft is an employee of the client company or one of their contractors. Unruly passengers are not normally an issue for us because the client has zero tolerance to such behaviour and will fire anyone who causes trouble. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/8 "2016-12-22T09:54:39Z")
It seems that British Airways carry handcuffs at least: > **[British Airways passenger screams 'I have a bomb' during flight from London...](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/12084873/British-Airways-passenger-screams-I-have-a-bomb-during-flight-from-London-to-Dubai.html)** > > Radio DJ Steve Penk's daughter witnessed the 'madman' running up and down the aisles, swearing and spitting at staff > [@](#): > > A few hours later, he began running up and down the aisles. Cabin crew moved him to a new seat in an attempt to calm him down, but he began hurling abuse at them, calling them racist and fat. > According to Natalie - who was travelling to Dubai for a five-day holiday with her husband Jack - his behaviour continued for around 45 minutes until he was handcuffed. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/9 "2016-12-22T16:57:14Z")
If you are going to restrain an unruly airline passenger, at least do it correctly. [ul] [li][Iceland Air uses duct tape](http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/01/unruly-air-passenger-subdued-with-duct-tape/)![/li][/ul] (I wonder if they carry WD-40, too?) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/10 "2016-12-22T17:00:03Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > If you are going to restrain an unruly airline passenger, at least do it correctly. > [ul] > [li][Iceland Air uses duct tape](http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/01/unruly-air-passenger-subdued-with-duct-tape/)![/li][/ul] > > (I wonder if they carry WD-40, too?) Or the passenger in front can just recline his seat back. ---
**Author:** ![EdelweissPirate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@EdelweissPirate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EdelweissPirate)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/11 "2016-12-22T23:39:17Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > From here: [Air rage - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unruly_aircraft_passenger) Also from the Wikipedia link: “The lack of Oxygen [sic] due to saving fuel in compressing the thin air outside has its effect.” ::sigh:: L’enfer, c’est les autres. Yes, thin air has its effect. Its effect is loss of consciousness, something that must have been about to afflict whoever wrote that sentence. ---
**Author:** ![EdelweissPirate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@EdelweissPirate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EdelweissPirate)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2016, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/12 "2016-12-22T23:47:58Z")
I deleted that line from Wikipedia, so it’s no longer there. Go to the “talk” or “history” sections to see it. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/13 "2016-12-23T16:23:35Z")
Not much to add. The whole topic is quasi-classified for public discussion in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-airliners-carrying-dedicated-equipment-to-restrain-an-out-of-control-passenger/775348/14 "2016-12-23T22:44:40Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Apparently, it’s an issue of safety. > There was a movie back in the 1970’s where this was a plot point. (Starring Jack Nicholson, called _The Last Detail_, I think). \* > > In the movie, military policemen are escorting a prisoner to prison in another city, using public transportation–a Greyhound bus. The prisoner escapes because they remove his restraints. > The reason for removing them was given in the movie as a “safety precaution”–if the vehicle is involved in an accident or fire breaks out, the prisoner has to be free enough to move away from the llife-threatening danger. > > So I’m guessing that on an airplane, you can handcuff an unruly passenger with his hands behind his back, but you can’t cuff him to the seat. > … I remember it as a distinct line from the stewardess to Robert De Niro in _Midnight Run_. Same setup.