Flight attendants present safety precautions on an American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX aircraft before taking off on a test flight at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Dallas, Texas, on December 2, 2020.
Juliette Michel | AFP | Getty Images
The Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday that it will continue to launch unruly passengers, expanding the zero-tolerance policy he implemented in January. Airlines have reported more than 500 cases since the end of December, according to the agency.
Most of these cases were related to trips that refused to wear face masks, which both the airline and the federal government require for commercial air travel, the FAA said.
“We have decided to extend the zero-tolerance policy of unruly FAA passengers as we continue to do everything we can to deal with the pandemic,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a statement. “The policy directs our security inspectors and lawyers to take strong enforcement action against any passenger who disrupts or threatens the safety of a flight, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment. The number of cases we see is still too high, and it tells us that urgent action must be taken. “
The FAA will maintain its zero tolerance policy for at least as long as the federal mask mandate is in effect.
According to federal data, cases of unruly passengers have increased per capita throughout 2020. Flight attendant unions have expressed safety concerns about distressed travel, especially after the January 6 pro-Trump uprising. the Capitol.
“Administrator Dickson’s strong position in January for zero tolerance has supported us, and now is not the time to let our guard down,” said Sara Nelson, president of the CWA Flight Companion Association, which represents about 50,000 cabin crew members. to more than a dozen airlines.
“The discussion of patches, thin politics around masks has created confusion and conflict,” she said in a statement. “We don’t have time to disobey the federal mask mandate. On a plane, this behavior puts everyone in danger, and we can’t stand it.”