USA Today published an opinion piece on December 23 by Lee Kair about the need for civility in air travel and the costly consequences when passengers lose their cool at the checkpoint or while in flight.
Episodes of unruly behavior in airports and on flights are not new, but the escalation of aggression highlights a disturbing trend. This blatant incivility is not only reprehensible, but often illegal.
In January 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration implemented a zero-tolerance policy, mandating civil enforcement actions against any passenger who assaults, threatens or interferes with airline crewmembers, including penalties up to $37,000 per violation.
From late 2021 to this summer, the FAA referred 270 cases to the FBI for criminal case review and potential prosecution by the Department of Justice, including 39 referrals so far this year.
Since January, the FAA has reported nearly 2,000 incidents with unruly passengers.
At the same time, TSA reports more than 22,000 checkpoint incidents, resulting in more than 700 employee assaults. TSA can also propose civil penalties up to $14,950 per violation for interference with security screening, and offenders may also face arrest by local authorities.
Since 2018, TSA has assessed over $1.6 million in penalties against individuals who have assaulted or otherwise interfered with a Transportation Security Officer.
Read the full op-ed here.
