DISPAX World

We are delighted that Passenger Safe and Safer Handling International are sponsors of DISPAX World 2026 – the 6th international conference on unruly passenger management and restraint – which takes place next week on 25 & 26 February in Lisbon, Portugal. Passenger Safe is brought to you by Safer Handling International, a trusted specialist in reducing restrictive practices and increasing personal safety, established in 2019. Passenger Safe provides training, consultancy and manufacturing solutions for managing the safety of passengers and crew across air, land and sea. Their products include the Soft Restraint Kit, emergency response belts, waist restraint belt system, Soft-cuffs and the Safety Cuff developed with the UK MOJ national training team. They provide online, face-to-face or train-the-trainer programmes which can be delivered worldwide with support from their specialist professional training team. Find out more about: Passenger Safe: https://lnkd.in/dpXfdGVQ Safer Handling: https://lnkd.in/dAGi_9Js To see the full programme and to register for DISPAX World 2026, visit: https://dispax.world/ #dispaxworld2026 #upax #personalsafety #passengersafe #saferhandling Doug Melia

Published authors are amongst those addressing delegates attending DISPAX World 2026 at the Universidade Lusófona - Centro Universitário Lisboa (Lusófona University, Lisbon) Explore unruly passenger management through the lens of published authors: • Violence in the Skies – Philip Baum • Hidden Signals – An Gaiser • Leadership at 43,000 Feet – Capt. Chris Smith • Midlife Matters – Katie Taylor To register, visit: https://dispax.world/ #cabinsafety #DISPAXWorld #avsec #unrulypassenger #airrage #upax #AviationSafety

For those engaged in inflight security, aviation psychology and civil aviation safety regulation, remember that 11th February is the final day for you to register to attend DISPAX World 2026 before the Late Arrival rate kicks in! So, if you were planning on joining us in Lisbon in three weeks time to be part of the discussion regarding the causes, behavioural indicators, de-escalation, restraint and post-incident management of unruly airline passenger events, now is the time to register and secure your place! Register here: https://lnkd.in/d9RuCA8w View the programme here: https://lnkd.in/ePZ-wZKJ #dispax #avsec #dispaxworld2026 #upax #unrulypassengers #security

AN INTERNATIONAL ARRAY OF SPEAKERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE WILL BE ADDRESSING DISPAX World 2026. 🌍 Global voices. Real-world impact. DISPAX World 2026 brings together speakers from across five continents, reflecting the truly international challenge of managing disruptive passenger behaviour. 🇦🇺 🇧🇪 🇨🇮 🇩🇪 🇳🇱 🇮🇱 🇮🇹 🇱🇻 🇲🇾 🇳🇴 🇵🇹 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 Join experts from Australia to the USA, from Cote d’Ivoire to Latvia and from Italy to Malaysia this February at the Universidade Lusófona - Centro Universitário Lisboa (Lusófona University, Lisbon) To register, visit: https://dispax.world/ #cabinsafety #DISPAXWorld #avsec #unrulypassenger #airrage #upax #AviationSafety

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from outside the aviation industry will be offering delegates to DISPAX World 2026 fresh perspectives on the identification and management of unruly airline passengers. DISPAX World 2026 taking place at Universidade Lusófona - Centro Universitário Lisboa (Lusófona University, Lisbon) next month, offers crew trainers and airline safety and security management innovative learning opportunities from parallel industries and public safety sectors, including: • Prof. Barak Ariel discussing the use of body-worn cameras by the police • Dr Tony Bleetman highlighting the dangers of using plastic cuffs for wrist restraint • Annette Cmela of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower 🌻focussing on hidden disabilities • Adam Hopper of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) exploring why adopting a zero tolerance approach might not be the best solution • Michael Kill of Night Time Industries Association sharing best practice from those employed as door supervisors • Daniel Magalhães discussing law enforcement initiatives adopted by the Portuguese Public Security Police • Dr Elizabeth Jeglic Ph.D. of John Jay College (CUNY) of Criminal Justice providing an academic perspective on the scourge of inflight sexual assault, and • Katie Taylor of The Latte Lounge (The online platform for midlife women) providing insight into how the menopause and perimenopause might impact passenger and crew behaviours. To register, visit: https://dispax.world/ #cabinsafety #DISPAXWorld #avsec #unrulypassenger #airrage #upax #AviationSafety

DISPAX World 2026, taking place in Lisbon on 25/26 February, includes speakers and panellists representing industry regulators and industry associations. 🏛️ Policy, oversight, and industry-wide perspectives There will be high-level debate and insight relating to the management of unruly passengers from: • Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) • EASA - European Union Aviation Safety Agency • European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) • Civil Aviation Authority Norway (Norwegian CAA) • ANAC - Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil • UFACI - Union des Femmes de l'Aviation Civile de Côte d'Ivoire DISPAX World 2026 is where regulation meets reality. To register, visit: https://dispax.world/ #cabinsafety #DISPAXWorld #avsec #unrulypassenger #airrage #upax #AviationSafety

Only one month to go before delegates will be arriving for DISPAX World 2026—the sixth international conference on unruly airline passenger management and restraint. The two-day event will take place on 25 & 26 February at Universidade Lusófona - Centro Universitário Lisboa (Lusófona University, Lisbon). Register here: https://lnkd.in/d9RuCA8w View the programme here: https://lnkd.in/ePZ-wZKJ #dispax #avsec #dispaxworld2026 #upax #unrulypassengers #security

SESSION SPOTLIGHT:  OPENING SESSION The opening of DISPAX World 2026, hosted at, and by, the Universidade Lusófona - Centro Universitário Lisboa (Lusófona University) in Lisbon on 25 February, is an opportunity for the global aviation community to confront one of the most complex safety and security challenges of our time: disruptive passenger behaviour. It’s the scene-setter for two days of dialogue, evidence-based insight and collaborative problem-solving — drawing together regulators, airline leaders, crew training heads, researchers and frontline specialists from around the world. After a welcome from Philip Baum, the conference launches into an exploration of responsibility and context. Prof. André Inácio and a keynote from Ana Vieira da Mata, Chair of the ANAC - Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil (ANAC -Portuguese Civil Aviation Authority) get us underway - underscoring why safety and security regulators are essential to harmonising legal frameworks, enforcement expectations and international cooperation. The programme goes on to feature voices that exemplify the global nature of the problem and the diversity of experience needed to address it. Capt. Edith Mala Diop brings invaluable operational insight, not just as Pilot Peer Support Coordinator at Qatar Airways, but also as Vice President of the UFACI - Union des Femmes de l'Aviation Civile de Côte d'Ivoire. A trailblazer in her own right, she was recently honoured with the Prix National d’Excellence in Côte d’Ivoire for her contribution to the transport sector and has been recognised as a model leader in aviation, including being elevated to Knight of the National Order of Côte d’Ivoire — one of her country’s highest honours — for her distinguished service and leadership in a predominantly male field. Her contribution to the opening session, on aircrew mental health and peer support initiatives, not only highlights the human dimension of disruptive incidents but also reflects why airline crew training heads and safety policymakers must be present — to align support systems with operational and regulatory imperatives. Following this, Claudia-Roxana Rus, of Wizz Air Malta brings an operational and financial lens to the impact of disruptive passenger incidents, reinforcing the far-reaching consequences these events can have on safety, wellbeing and business continuity. By assembling such a globally representative line-up at the outset, DISPAX World 2026 emphasises that disruptive passenger behaviour is not confined to any one region or airline sector. Effective solutions must be informed by shared experience, cross-border learning and a collective commitment to evidence-based practices. To register, visit: https://dispax.world/ #dispax #avsec #dispaxworld2026 #upax #securityregulators #pilotpeersupport #aircrewmentalhealth #aircrewtraining #aviationsafety

Ana Vieira da Mata is presenting the Keynote Address at DISPAX World 2026, the international conference on unruly airline passenger management, in Lisbon on 25-26 February. Her Keynote is part of the opening session, ‘The Context’, and will set the scene for two days of discussion and deliberation. Ana Mata was appointed Chairwoman of the Board of ANAC - Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil (ANAC – Portuguese Civil Aviation Authority), in January 2024. She had already been a member of the Board since November 2021, responsible for managing the following areas within the CAA: economic regulation; consumer protection; human resources; financial resources and procurement. Following her appointment as Chairman of the Board of Directors, her activities increased to include the management of matters related to airworthiness, operations, facilitation and security. In December 2025 she was elected as the first woman to chair the Management Board of EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency). She is also the Vice-Chair of the Economics Committee of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). To register, visit: https://dispax.world/ #dispax #avsec #dispaxworld2026 #airworthiness #security #anac