Swiss airlines are facing a surge in unruly passenger incidents, with 1,730 cases reported in 2024—a 30% increase from the previous year.

The Federal Office of Civil Aviation (Bazl) attributes this rise to factors like tighter seating, reduced in-flight services, and more crowded schedules.

Common issues include passengers ignoring crew instructions, verbal abuse, smoking, and substance misuse.

Notably, 432 cases involved refusal to follow safety protocols, while 308 incidents were linked to smoking on board.

Airlines like Swiss are training staff to handle such situations, focusing on de-escalation and early identification of problematic behavior.

Experts suggest that stricter regulations may be needed to address this growing problem.