Calls for stronger protection for airport workers have followed a Unite survey highlighting verbal abuse and physical assaults among staff at Gatwick.

The union wants passengers responsible for abusive behavior to face coordinated bans across airports and airlines. Its Abuse Doesn’t Fly campaign argues that restrictions should prevent offenders from avoiding a ban by choosing a different operator or departure point.

Survey highlights staff concerns.

Unite surveyed around 1,800 people across the aviation profession. Among the Gatwick workers who responded, 74% reported experiencing verbal abuse at least once a month, while 42% said they had been physically assaulted. The supplied report does not specify a timeframe for the physical assaults.

Polly Richardson, a Unite representative who works in special assistance at Gatwick, described how passenger aggression can leave employees feeling unsafe. Speaking to BBC Radio Sussex, she said abuse frequently becomes personal and that staff feel pressure to accept it under a customer-first approach.

Richardson also raised concerns about how staff handle confrontations. She said aggressive passengers are sometimes moved through airport processes more quickly as staff try to defuse a situation. In her view, this risks rewarding the behavior that caused the disruption

Alcohol and the impact on workers

Richardson recalled an incident in which someone flicked a lit cigarette at her. She identified alcohol as one factor behind abusive conduct, while stressing that some passengers appear to believe they are entitled to mistreat staff regardless.

Crawley MP Peter Lamb has backed the union’s campaign. According to the report, he tabled an Early Day Motion in July calling on the government, airport operators and police to strengthen protections.

Lamb questioned whether airports are adequately equipped to handle the consequences of heavy drinking before flights. He also highlighted the lasting psychological harm that serious abuse can cause, saying some affected workers require therapy for years.

Airport and government responses

Gatwick said the safety and security of employees and passengers remained its highest priority and that no worker should be subjected to verbal or physical abuse.

The Department for Transport also condemned abuse in airports and on aircraft. It said it was working with the aviation industry and trade unions on a system to share information about persistently disruptive passengers, helping operators identify them earlier.

The union’s proposals go further by seeking new legislation for coordinated airport bans. Its campaign puts frontline employees' experiences at the center of calls for a stronger response to passenger misconduct.

Source: The supplied news report, which includes Unite survey findings and comments made to BBC Radio Sussex.