Airline staff confront air rage

Qantas staff who have been racially abused, spat on, punched 
and kicked are bracing for more of the same with the introduction 
of budget airline Jetstar.

Workers representatives suggest airline passengers used to more 
comfortable and flexible arrangements will react badly to 
restrictions imposed by the low-cost start-up airline.

One worker had a passenger follow her to the toilets and try to 
assault her after she failed to provide a window seat, while a 
Melbourne colleague has described abuse as an everyday occurrence 
in the baggage services area.

"We are expecting we are going to cop that", says Linda White, 
Assistant Federal Secretary of the Australian Services Union 
(ASU). "Qantas employees are expecting unhappy passengers because 
of the fairly strict conditions in Jetstar.

"We are expecting air rage to go through the roof."

The issue of increased air rage because of Jetstar was a big 
talking point amongst airport workers at meetings across the 
country, according to Ms White.

"We have demanded that Qantas deal with us on this issue. The 
procedures they have in place are not good enough to deal with 
this problem."

Qantas' response has been to notify a dispute in the Industrial 
Relations Commission.

The ASU has a website on air rage, including the results of its 
national survey on the effects of air rage on airport staff. 
Among other things ASU members report being grabbed by the throat 
and having briefcases and mobile phones thrown at them.

The site can be visited at http://www.zeroairage.com.au