By January 2021, outbursts [on planes] had become such an issue that the Federal Aviation Administration implemented a zero-tolerance policy against disruptive behavior. This policy was supposed to be temporary — the administration instead made it permanent in April 2022. As summer travel winds down, here’s a look at fines and legal actions against unruly passengers before and after the policy. The FAA received 5,973 reports of unruly passengers in 2021, up 492% from the 1,009 reports the year prior. But the increase isn’t just due to people returning to the skies post COVID-19: there were 1,161 incidents in 2019, 899 in 2018, and 544 in 2017.
Nearly 75% of reported incidents from January 2021 to August 2021 involved passengers refusing to comply with the federal face mask mandate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention enacted this mandate on February 1, 2021. An April 18, 2022, court order rendered it unenforceable... The FAA’s largest fine under its zero-tolerance policy thus far has been $81,950 against a woman who assaulted a flight attendant and tried to open the aircraft’s cabin door. The FAA can also refer cases to the FBI for criminal prosecution.
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