Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has made serious efforts to enforce a strict ban on in-flight photography and video recording.
To enforce this rule, the airline has started making regular announcements on board reminding passengers that taking photographs and filming during the flight is strictly prohibited.
PIA has clarified that as per Pakistani aviation regulations, taking photographs or videos during a flight is not permitted.
In September 2022, a video was captured of an unruly passenger on board a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight being arrested by authorities in Dubai for causing chaos.
This initiative reflects the growing awareness within the aviation industry of the importance of protecting passenger privacy and strictly adhering to safety regulations.
In November last year, the Australian airline Qantas banned its passengers from photographing or filming flight attendants and their seatmates as well as other employees and contractors during the flight.
According to the updated in-flight conduct clause for passengers on Qantas flights, the instructions included the following line:
“Obtain consent before filming or photographing Qantas Group employees, contractors or other customers.”
Qantas says the new policy is aimed at protecting the privacy of crew members and other passengers, but could also be used to prevent passengers from recording potentially “viral” incidents, such as a disruptive passenger.
Enforcement of this rule is part of PIA’s commitment to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for all passengers.
By prohibiting unauthorized photography, the airline aims to minimize distractions and ensure compliance with safety protocols during the flight.
A spokesman for Pakistan International Airlines stressed that this ban was in line with international flight practice.
Other airlines have similar rules, but implementation may vary depending on the scenario. Usually, a ban on photographing crew members and other passengers is a consequence of country-specific data protection laws.
In February of this year, a video was captured of a drunk and unruly passenger on board an Emirates plane flying from Dubai to Islamabad, causing chaotic situations during the flight.
Back in July 2019, Garuda Indonesia announced that it would prohibit passengers and flight crew from taking photos and videos during flights, according to an internal memo, after a popular video blogger posted a photo online showing a handwritten menu offered to him in business class.
You can see that airlines in the United Arab Emirates prohibit taking photographs of passengers or crew on board due to local data protection laws. Similar data protection regulations apply to German airlines, including Lufthansa.
