What you can and can't do on a plane: rules for passengers

The rate improved compared to 2024, when one such incident occurred per 307 flights. Passengers are most often flagged for failing to comply with crew instructions — this remains the most common type of violation — while verbal aggression and onboard intoxication both declined. The most severe cases — physical violence — are noticeably rarer, but they carry the most serious consequences for the flight and its passengers.

The data is collected under IATA's IDX (Incident Data Exchange) program, based on reports from more than 140 airlines worldwide.

The Passenger Conduct Rules were adopted to implement Article 92-1 of the Air Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, introduced into the Code in 2012, and were registered by the Ministry of Justice. Alongside these duties, a passenger also has rights: in particular, they may ask crew members to take action against another passenger who is disturbing public order or behaving aggressively without cause. Violating the established rules of onboard conduct carries liability under the Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Administrative Liability, and the carrier is entitled to refuse further carriage to a passenger whose actions endanger flight safety.

• Comply with the Passenger Conduct Rules on board an aircraft and follow the instructions of the aircraft commander or crew members regarding flight safety.
• Take the seat assigned on the boarding pass, or another seat if instructed by crew members.
• Stow baggage only in designated storage areas.
• Fasten the seatbelt as soon as the "fasten seatbelt" sign comes on and keep it fastened until the sign is switched off.
• Comply with security screening requirements carried out for aviation security purposes.

IATA notes that even seemingly "minor" violations — such as refusing to wear a mask when required by policy, or refusing to fasten a seatbelt — count as the baseline level of unruly behavior and are usually resolved by the crew without escalation. Yet these are the episodes that recur most often and take flight attendants' attention away from other duties.

• Ignoring crew instructions, including requests to fasten a seatbelt or turn off an electronic device.
• Smoking in the cabin or lavatory, including e-cigarettes — most airlines ban this by policy regardless of local law.
• Drinking alcohol brought on board yourself rather than served by the crew, or continuing to drink after a flight attendant has declined to serve you.
• Being verbally or physically aggressive toward other passengers or crew.
• Filming or photographing other passengers or onboard incidents without their consent.

According to IATA, the jurisdictional gap built into the 1963 Tokyo Convention is the main reason why roughly 60% of unruly-passenger cases never reach prosecution: local police at the arrival airport frequently lack authority to handle an incident that occurred aboard an aircraft registered in another country. To close this gap, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is urging states to join the 2014 Montreal Protocol (MP14), which extends jurisdiction to the state of landing and the state of the aircraft operator.

Some countries — including Australia, France, Finland, New Zealand and Singapore — have introduced administrative fine systems that let police or aviation security officers issue an on-the-spot fine to an offender without opening a criminal case, provided the incident is not among the most serious.

According to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), of 123 passengers seriously injured by turbulence on U.S. airlines between 2009 and 2018, only one was buckled up at the moment of injury. The "fasten seatbelt" sign comes on once the crew already knows turbulence is expected, but so-called clear-air turbulence occurs with no visible warning signs and doesn't always make it into the forecast — which is why the FAA explicitly recommends keeping your belt on while seated, regardless of the sign's status.

• Keep your seatbelt loosely fastened throughout the flight, even when the sign is off — severe clear-air turbulence (with no clouds in sight) can strike without warning.
• Buckle up as soon as you sit down and don't unfasten your belt until the crew announces it's safe, even if you've just dozed off.
• Children under two are safer secured in a certified car or aviation child seat rather than held on a lap.
• If you've gotten up, return to your seat and buckle up as soon as possible — don't linger in the aisle longer than necessary.
• If turbulence is announced, stop moving through the cabin immediately and take your seat.

The rule to keep electronics in carry-on rather than checked baggage exists because if a battery catches fire in the cargo hold, the crew cannot quickly detect and extinguish it, whereas flight attendants in the cabin are trained to respond to such incidents immediately. A separate instruction covers a device stuck in a seat gap: passengers should not try to move the seat themselves, since the mechanism can damage the battery and cause a fire — instead, call a flight attendant.

For passengers flying Uzbekistan Airways' domestic and international routes, a similar rule applies: devices up to 100 Wh are allowed in carry-on without prior approval, while batteries up to 160 Wh require the airline's advance authorization.

• Bring only the devices and batteries you actually need for the trip.
• Keep all phones, laptops, cameras and spare batteries in your carry-on — never in checked baggage.
• If your carry-on is taken from you at the gate to be checked, remove all devices and batteries from it beforehand.
• Store spare batteries and power banks in their original packaging or cover the terminals with tape to prevent short-circuiting.
• For batteries above 100 Wh (for example, larger camera equipment or drones), check the airline's requirements in advance.
• Batteries above 160 Wh are generally not allowed on passenger flights.
• If a device overheats, smokes or is damaged, notify the crew immediately — don't try to cool it down or move it yourself.

IATA notes that the differences between airlines' rules stem from differing national regulations (some countries ban vapes outright), each carrier's own risk assessment, and restrictions on specific routes. As a result, there is no single international standard covering all such devices, and it's best to confirm current conditions directly with the airline before departure.

• E-cigarettes and vapes: rules differ between airlines — check in advance; using or charging them onboard is banned almost everywhere.
• Drones and cameras with batteries installed: allowed in carry-on; spare batteries must also travel in carry-on, properly protected.
• "Smart" suitcase with a removable battery: the battery must be taken out and carried separately in your carry-on.
• "Smart" suitcase with a non-removable battery: may not be accepted either as checked or cabin baggage — the rule depends on the airline.

These rules are set by aviation regulators and are consistent across different agencies' materials: for example, the U.S. FAA specifically notes that high-heeled shoes should be removed before using an emergency slide, since heels can damage its inflatable surface. A passenger survey conducted by IATA as part of its "Save a Life, Not a Bag" campaign revealed a gap between what people think they would do in an emergency and what they would actually choose: 80% of respondents said they knew how to act during an evacuation, but only 61% gave the correct answer — leaving all belongings behind. That means nearly four in ten passengers would not choose the safest course of action. At the same time, 60% of respondents said they would be less likely to grab a bag if they already had their essential items on their person.

• Listen closely to crew instructions and follow them immediately.
• Leave all baggage behind, including carry-on stowed under the seat.
• Don't stop to film or photograph what's happening.
• Don't linger in the aisles or near emergency exits.
• Don't take bags onto the inflatable slide — this can damage the slide and injure other passengers.
• Keep only the essentials on your person (in your clothing pockets) — documents, medication, keys — so you don't waste time searching for them in a bag.
• Remove high-heeled shoes before getting on the emergency slide — a heel can puncture the slide's inflatable surface and injure the passenger wearing it.

Commercial airline crews are trained in first aid and generally have access to an onboard Emergency Medical Kit, which under international recommendations should include, among other things, a defibrillator and a pulse oximeter. In serious cases, the crew may make an announcement asking whether a doctor or medical professional is onboard, or contact a ground-based medical service by radio for remote guidance. The decision to divert and land at the nearest airport rests with the aircraft commander, based on medical service recommendations.

Passengers with a chronic condition that might require urgent in-flight care (diabetes, allergies, cardiovascular disease) should keep necessary medication in their carry-on rather than checked baggage, and should inform the flight attendant of their condition when boarding.

These steps don't replace the crew's pre-flight briefing, but they reduce the risk of having to check a device at the last moment at the gate or having it confiscated before boarding. A specific carrier's current requirements may differ from IATA's general recommendations, so in unclear cases it's worth checking the airline's own rules stated at the time of ticket purchase.

• Check the watt-hour (Wh) rating on the label of your laptop, camera or power bank battery — this figure determines what you can carry without approval and what needs the airline's authorization.
• Move all batteries and battery-powered devices from your checked suitcase into your carry-on.
• Cover the terminals of spare batteries and power banks with tape, or leave them in their original packaging.
• Check the airline's website for its policy on vapes, drones and suitcases with built-in electronics.
• Keep your passport, tickets and medication in your clothing pockets or a small bag that stays with you at all times, rather than in the overhead bin.