Airlines want to share information on “air rage” incidents to draw up a blacklist of passengers who would not be allowed to fly again.

The industry is suggesting an expansion of the Government’s £1.2 billion ten-year electronic borders programme, which aims to improve border security, by sharing passenger information with law-enforcement agencies.

The emergence of a wider range of passengers who could be barred from flying — other than suspected terrorists and previous immigration offenders — is disclosed in a Home Office paper on the electronic borders scheme.

The paper assesses the impact of more information being gathered by airlines and shipping carriers on travellers in advance of them leaving or arriving in Britain. The information would be cross-checked against lists of criminals and suspects held by police, the security service, Immigration Service and Revenue and Customs.

The report says that developing electronic borders allows for the investigation of “the possibility of e-borders maintaining a centralised ‘disruptive passengers’ list that can be shared with carriers”.

At present British airlines report all “disruptive passenger” or air-rage incidents to the Civil Aviation Authority — but not the names of those responsible. In the 12 months to March 2006, there were 1,359 incidents — 1,303 classed as “significant” and 56 as “serious”.

Virgin said that it backs the principle of a centralised list of disruptive passengers, but said that it would be more effective if it were a global database. A spokesman added: “The key is that we would have to ensure it was accepted by the Information Commissioner and that it was accurate.”

Ministers believe that the electronic border programme will help to stop migrant, tax and benefit scams estimated to cost £2 billion a year. The programme would also enable them to track foreigners who have left the country owing more than £9 million to the NHS for treatment received. The programme could also be used to target suspected tobacco smugglers and prevent offenders who have failed to pay their fines from leaving the country on holiday.

The paper says that e-borders would allow the easy identification of those who falsely claim non-domicile or non-resident status to avoid UK income tax or who continue to claim social security benefits despite living abroad permanently. It is estimated by the Department of Work and Pensions that £35 million a year is being fraudulently claimed in benefits by those who have left the UK but claim that they still live here.

The paper also says that the programme could help to improve the enforcement of fines if the courts imposed travel bans on offenders who have failed to pay their penalty. “Eborders could also contribute to compliance on fine enforcement, if provisions were issued prohibiting travel overseas whilst fines remain unpaid and confiscation orders undischarged.” Unpaid fines currently amount to £487 million and unpaid confiscation orders at £300 million.The ten-year e-borders programme will involve a huge increase in the amount of information gathered on passengers, which will then be provided to the Government and law-enforcement agencies.

In addition to providing nine basic details about passengers, if airlines and shipping firms have further information the Government wants that too. The total could amount to 53 separate pieces of information including the date on which reservations were made, holiday contact telephone numbers and baggage tag numbers issued at check-in flights. Carriers would be required to provide information 24 to 48 hours prior to departure.

Spots of turbulence

— High-profile “air rage” incidents include the arrest of the rock singer Courtney Love at Heathrow in 2003. She was cautioned for causing harassment, alarm and distress after Virgin staff said she shouted abuse at them. Ian Brown, the former Stone Roses singer, was jailed for four months in 1998 for using threatening behaviour towards an air stewardess. The rapper Snoop Dogg was cautioned for his part in a brawl at Heathrow last year

— In June Trevor Blake, 44, from Luton, was jailed for a year after a BA flight from Gatwick to the Caribbean had to be diverted. He had sex with his girlfriend in the aircraft lavatory and became abusive after being refused alcohol

— The same month Phillip Payne, 43, from Monmouthshire, was jailed for eight months for a drunken airborne tantrum on a flight from Gatwick to Cyprus. He drank ten pints of beer and two whiskies before boarding, then a bottle of vodka and two bottles of red wine on board. Payne shouted abuse and threatened to kill an air steward. The pilot diverted the flight to have him removed

Source: Department of Transport; Times Database

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