Hong Kong, Dec. 22 -- It has been a long time coming but from January 1, new powers will equip law enforcement officers with legal muscle to prosecute unruly passengers.
The Montreal Protocol (MP14) or the Protocol to Amend the Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed On Board Aircraft, is a global treaty that strengthens the powers of states to arrest and charge passengers who misbehave onboard.
It closes a legal gap in Tokyo Convention 1963, which states jurisdiction over offenses committed on board international flights rests with the state where the aircraft is registered.
The Convention has curbed the powers of law officers to prosecute unruly passengers when an aircraft lands in a country where it is not registered....