Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)
Q: What should you do if you’re being attacked?
A: If someone is attacking you on the flight, Tarbert explains that the first thing you should do “is to make noise, make a ruckus, and tell the person to stop—and then notify the flight crew as quickly as possible to hopefully get reassigned to a new seat and to explain what happened so the flight crew can notify law enforcement on the ground to meet the aircraft when it lands.”
Offenders may take advantage of the fact that some victims might not report an incident because they are embarrassed, don’t want to cause a scene, or try to convince themselves the assault was accidental.
“If you need a reason to get out of your seat and find a flight attendant, you can use the excuse of going to the restroom to get up and talk to them. Or you can hit the flight attendant call button and when they come over you could say something like, ‘Hey, can I come back and get a water’ or ‘I would like to get another snack, and I’ll pay for it,'” said Tarbert.
Q: What should you do if you witness an attack?
A: Notify the flight crew as soon as possible.
Q: Why is it important to promptly notify the flight crew if you’ve been attacked or witness an attack?
A: Timely notification to law enforcement is key—crime aboard aircraft is more difficult to investigate once days, or even hours, have passed following the incident since witnesses depart and recollections fade. The more advance notice the flight crew has, the more information they can provide to law enforcement to assist upon landing.
“The ultimate authority on a flight is the flight crew and captain,” said Tarbert. “Their job is maintaining the safety and security of the flight until the aircraft lands. They’re the ones who are going to coordinate a response with law enforcement.”
The flight crew can share information such as passenger flight manifests and seat numbers, incident timelines, and timezones in which the incident occurred, all of which can assist in the investigation.
With timely notification, FBI agents and other law enforcement can also be on scene when the plane lands to conduct interviews, take subjects into custody, and offer victim services.
This is important because gathering all parties relevant to an investigation can be challenging. “For many passengers, when they land, they’re just focused on getting to their destination and often don’t stick around at the gate,” said DArcangelis. Flight crew members also face time constraints to avoid delaying their next flight.