Fines of up to 225,000 euros if you engage in this behavior on an airplane
Traveling by plane is a very exciting experience for many people. However, it's important to remember that when we board this means of transportation, we must comply with certain pre-established rules . These rules, in addition to preventing the aircraft from operating properly, also prevent you from receiving a fine.
When crew members tell us that we cannot perform certain actions or use specific aircraft, they do so in response to a series of requirements established in the air navigation criminal laws of each territory.
In Spain, Law 21/2003 of July 7, on Air Safety, determines the obligations passengers must comply with when boarding an airplane, while also stipulating the penalties for noncompliance.
Published by the State Agency, the Official State Gazette (BOE), it classifies three types of sanctions (minor, serious, and very serious) with fines ranging from €60 to €225,000.
Users' obligations when boarding a planeIn Article 42 of the Air Safety Act, AESA establishes the specific obligations that passengers and other users must comply with when using aeronautical services:
- Comply with the safety standards, rules, measures, and conditions in force both on board aircraft and at airports, airfields, and other airport facilities.
- Comply with the orders, instructions, and directives of airport authorities and aeronautical personnel aimed at preserving the order and safety of aeronautical activities or operations.
Passengers and other users of aeronautical services who fail to comply with the series of obligations stipulated by the Air Safety Law face various types of sanctions, which may be imposed on " natural or legal persons who are found responsible for the acts constituting an infraction, even by simple non-compliance," as determined by Article 43.
In the event of a breach of any of the aforementioned obligations , the law considers them a minor infraction. Article 55 establishes that these types of violations are punishable by fines ranging from 60 to 45,000 euros.
Article 44 establishes that it will be a serious infraction when any of the following circumstances occur:
- A serious aviation incident has occurred.
- Serious injuries have occurred to persons, in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Code, or injuries resulting in sick leave for more than seven days or incapacity for work.
- Damages to property and rights have occurred, which, assessed individually for each of the affected parties, amount to between 5,000 and 15,000 euros.
For these scenarios, the penalties can range from €45,001 to €90,000, as determined by Article 55.
The latter case is also defined in Article 44 and constitutes very serious violations, which will occur under the following qualifying circumstances:
- An aircraft accident has occurred.
- The death of a person has been caused.
- Damages and losses to property and rights have occurred, which, assessed individually for each of the affected parties, amount to more than 15,000 euros.
Under Article 55, such violations can be punished with fines ranging from €90,001 to €225,000.
For its part, the Spanish State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) maintains that disruptive or conflictive behavior by a passenger on an airplane can even cause the aircraft to be diverted. This behavior should be avoided as it can directly affect the safety of the flight, affecting both the person engaging in it and other passengers.
It's best to educate yourself on the responsibilities and obligations associated with flying on an airplane, as well as follow the crew's instructions. This way, you'll avoid jeopardizing passenger safety and receiving financial penalties.
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