It follows a new law being introduced to make doing so a criminal offence.

There were 42 incidents of “laser louts” distracting pilots at Glasgow Airport last year, second only to Manchester.

The new legislation was introduced yesterday after lobbying from the British Airline Pilots’ Association, which warned it was only a matter of time before the “dangerous fad” led to a disaster.

Lasers have become increasingly powerful and cheap, with a small, ball-point pen-sized model capable of throwing out beams that can reach 37,000 feet.

There were a total of 737 attacks last year on commercial airlines, air ambulance and police helicopters, including 29 at the UK’s busiest airport, Heathrow. This was up from 29 recorded incidents in 2007.

The new regulation makes shining a light or laser at a plane a specific offence.

Previously, anyone caught shining a laser at an aircraft may have been charged with “recklessly endangering an aircraft”.

Offenders may now be charged with “shining a light at an aircraft in flight so as to dazzle the pilot”, a change that is expected to increase the conviction rate.

Captain Bob Jones, head of flight operations at the Civil Aviation Authority, said: “This new criminal charge will strengthen the hand of law enforcement agencies in their efforts to tackle this problem.”