An increase in air rage is blamed on aggressive marketing by airlines, a ban on smoking and poor service from cabin crews in a report this week.

The criminal profiler David Canter, from Liverpool University’s Centre for Investigative Psychology, suggests that air rage is more common than available statistics indicate.

“The whole flight experience has become more frustrating and uncomfortable,” Professor Canter said. “More research and better data is needed now in order to understand the true nature of the problem and how to combat it more effectively.”

According to the Department for Transport, there were 696 “serious or significant incidents” aboard commercial aircraft between April 2003 and March 2004, up from 580 between 2000 and 2001.

British Airways alone recorded 702 air rage incidents this year, equating to one attack for every 55,000 passengers. Between 1995 and 1998, the airline reported a 400 per cent increase in incidents of air rage.

Air rage encompasses any disruptive behaviour, including arguing with passengers or staff, damaging the aircraft or disobeying instructions, for example smoking. About 15 per cent of cases involve violence.

Professor Canter, said that airline advertising that promised convenience, speed and luxury raised expectations. “The marketing tends to sell an image that is not close to reality and so raises expectations that are frustrated,” he said.

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