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Civil Aviation Act 1990

Unruly passenger offences - Unruly passenger offences

65K: Offensive behaviour or words

You could also call this:

“Don't be mean or use rude words on planes”

If you are on an aircraft, you must not behave badly or use bad words. This means you can’t act in a way that threatens, offends, insults, or upsets others. You also can’t use words that do these things.

If you do behave badly or use bad words on an aircraft, you might have to pay a fine of up to $2,500.

However, if you use offensive or insulting words, you might not get in trouble if you can prove that you really thought no one else would hear what you said.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM217128.

Topics:
Transport and travel > Air travel Crime and justice > Criminal law
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65J: Non-compliance with commands given by pilot-in-command, or

"Listen to the pilot: following their rules on a plane is the law"

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65L: Portable electronic devices not to be operated, or

"Don't use electronic gadgets on planes when it's not allowed"

Part 5A Unruly passenger offences
Unruly passenger offences

65KOffensive behaviour or words

  1. Every person commits an offence who, on any aircraft,—

  2. behaves in a threatening, offensive, insulting, or disorderly manner; or
    1. uses threatening, offensive, or insulting words.

      1. Every person who commits an offence against subsection (1) is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,500.

      2. It is a defence in a prosecution under subsection (1)(b) for using offensive or insulting words if the defendant proves that he or she had reasonable grounds to believe that his or her words would not be overheard.

      Notes
      • Section 65K: inserted, on , by section 28 of the Civil Aviation Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 8).
      • Section 65K(2): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).