Airline Passengers Cause Disorder In the Skies, Leading To $531,545 In Fines
Thirty-four U.S. airline passengers face up to $531,545 in civil penalties after engaging in unruly behavior during flights, the Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday.
The United States has seen a significant jump in reported cases of passengers causing disturbances on airplanes, with nearly two-thirds of new cases coming from those who refused to comply with the federal transportation-wide mask mandate that will remain in place until Jan. 18, The Washington Post reported.
Since Jan. 1, the FAA has received 3,889 reports of unruly passengers, of which 2,867 reports were of people refusing to comply with the mask mandate.
The FAA summaries detail cases of passengers determined not to wear masks and intent on drinking their own alcohol on aircraft, as well as incidents where a passenger appeared to snort cocaine, threw carry-on bags at other passengers and one who hid a flight attendant's jacket.
FAA Administrator Steve Dickson asked U.S. airports to assist in the effort to crack down on disruptive airline passengers, noting that alcohol “often contributes to this unsafe behavior.”
He added that many flight attendants have reported being physically assaulted and he has extended a “zero-tolerance policy” on unruly air passengers.
CNN said the largest fine announced was a $45,000 penalty against the passenger who threw the luggage at another passenger and laid on the aisle floor "grabbing a flight attendant by the ankles and putting his head up her skirt."
That New York to Orlando flight was forced to land early in Virginia.
The FAA currently has 682 open investigations into passenger incidents that potentially violated federal laws.
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