Singapore to toughen laws against unruly air travellers

Singapore police and courts will get wider powers to deal with troublemakers on flights when new laws are passed in the next six to 12 months. The move will come before a global ruling by the UN aimed at tackling the growing problem of unruly air passengers. Under current international civil aviation laws, Singapore can take action only if the culprit arrives on a Singapore carrier. This means that troublemakers on foreign carriers usually get off scot-free. To plug this loophole, the ICAO aims to replace the protocol. Singapore, which plans to enact its own laws before the global mandate, has consulted airlines operating at Changi Airport. <br/>