I think I’m safe in proposing that most decent civilised passengers have no difficulty with the concept of safety and security on board an aircraft, and the duty and responsibility of the Captain to demand reasonable behaviour with the full backing of HM Government.
For those who think this is a bit of an over reaction, and what’s wrong with a few lads getting a bit tasty for a bit of a laugh, I shall refer you to the points of UK legislation that you are about to breach. The UK Air Navigation Order (2000) states:
Article 63
A person shall not recklessly or negligently act in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft, or any person therein.
Article 65
A person shall not enter any aircraft when drunk, or be drunk in any aircraft.
Article 66
A person shall not smoke in any compartment of an aircraft registered in the UK at a time when smoking is prohibited in that compartment by a notice to that effect exhibited by or on behalf of the commander of the aircraft. (Can only be committed on a UK registered aircraft.)
Article 67
Every person in an aircraft registered in the UK shall obey all lawful commands which the commander of that aircraft may give for the purpose of securing the safety of the aircraft and of persons or property carried therein, or the safety, efficiency or regularity of air navigation.
Article 68
No person shall while in an aircraft:
Use any threatening, abusive or insulting words towards a member of the crew of the aircraft;
Behave in a threatening, abusive, insulting or disorderly manner towards a member of the crew of an aircraft; or
Intentionally interfere with the performance, by a member of crew of the aircraft, of his duties.
I can’t believe that anyone would even have to study the finer points of law to adjust their behaviour on board, suffice to say that if you were on my aeroplane I would have done precisely the same as my professional peer did yesterday. I fully support his actions to protect the safety of his aircraft and the safety of its occupants. If I were to have done anything differently, I would have diverted to France, where the CRS have a different way of dealing with hooligans.