Customer Reviews

Air Rage: Crisis in the Skies

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These two men cover the spectrum! This is an unbelievably timely and well-positioned book, especially considering events of 9/11. This is high level expertise on a critically important subject. Read it. Your eyes will be opened.

How ironic that following the Publishers Weekly review indicating that the content was sensationalistic that we come to experience this horrible act of terrorism. It appears to me that the subject of cockpit intrusion as stated in the book is only too real and easily accomplished. I would only hope that Publishers Weekly retract their statements against this book and try to appreciate the candor and all of the facts as expressed within the content of this book.

This is one scary book.

If you have any intention of flying anywhere in the next few years, you owe it to yourself to read this book first. It won't increase your comfort level at all, but it will leave you with a sense of being forewarned, just in case . . . I wouldn't recommend reading it just before bedtime, however, as it might prompt unhappy dreams.

As an American, I found the most astonishing discovery of this book to be that air rage is not an American monopoly. We may have invented this malaise, but we are by no means the only perpetrators. It's little comfort that none of the other countries seem to have a handle on the situation, either. The skies are not only becoming more crowded, they're also becoming downright unfriendly.

The authors have clearly done their homework, and the research is very evident. The facts are lavishly interspersed with anecdotes. Something must be done, and be done quickly to prevent future episodes of air rage and/or air terrorism. As well as illuminating the problems connected with this fairly recent development, the authors also outline several possible remedies, which, if enacted on a global basis, could do much to make the skies at least reasonably safe once again.

Just as the appearance of Sky Marshals and global penalties for hijacking helped to reduce that threat, a good case is made for such actions to reduce this new one. People everywhere have to realize that the day of the 'cheap' flight to anywhere may well be in the past; added costs to implement these safety measures should be shared by passengers and airlines alike. Their concerns are mutually shared regardless of the nationalities involved. Tough laws need to be implemented by every country and rigidly enforced with serious penalties for infringement: penalties that are not eligible for appeal or compromise. Perpetrators are not the victims here, after all; we, the passengers are. Until this fact is recognized and dealt with universally, we're all at risk whenever we decide to board an airplane.

Approximately one-third of the book is in the Appendix category, and should not be ignored by the reader. It's really too bad, however, that such rules and laws have to be in legalese rather than ordinary language. Unless one is an attorney, many of these pages may be at least partly incomprehensible, even to the frequent flier.

As a not-so-frequent flier, I'm not convinced that deregulation was such a good thing for the passengers of the airlines who were given a reprieve from standards that made flying an exciting adventure. The authors liken today's coach section to the 'cattle class' or steerage sections of the ocean liners of yesteryear. I'm not so sure I wouldn't rather be on the sea rather than in the air, if one of my fellow passengers went beserk.

This book should be required reading for everyone, everywhere--from corporate presidents to air crews to the person who flies--nervously--once every five years. I can't imagine, however, that the airline executives would happily embrace the book. But if they're honest with themselves and their employees and their customers, they'll admire it, regardless of how much they might also loathe it! It is unfortunate that a bit more attention wasn't paid to the editing and proof-reading of this book. But that's a minor quibble, compared to the valuable information imparted in its pages. It's a real eye-opener, believe me.

Air Rage: Crisis in the skies is a comprehensive, informative book written about a real and true danger confronting the Airline Industry on a daily basis. As a semi frequent flier, I found it amazing that Air Rage is a problem that often goes unreported and the culprits are not prosecuted. With the recent attacks on the World Trade Centers forever etched in our minds, it is obvious that the anxiety level of flying has dramatically increased. With this increase in anxiety, there is most certainly going to be an increase in Air Rage Incidents. This book is an absolue MUST for anyone who travels by air, works in the airline industry, or is working in the law enforcement/security industry that has within their jurisdiction, an airport. The authors provide you with solid statistics and documented incidents that will truly open your eyes to a real problem in air travel today.

In light of 9-11, this book reasonates more than ever. In many ways, the authors predicted the events of that tragic day. Lax and almost nonexistent aviation security was way too often overlooked by our government officials. A great read for anybody in the aviation industry. Sure to be a benchmark!

How could we allow air rage to continue as it did before 9-11? Someone on the Independent Commission investigating 9-11 should read this book. That is the real outrage!!!