Summary
- The FAA has passed over another 43 cases involving unruly passengers to the FBI.
- The new cases cover incidents between November 15, 2021, and March 3, with multiple instances of assaults and attempts to breach the cockpit.
- However, overall, unruly passenger incidents have been trending downward since 2021.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said that it has passed over 43 unruly passenger cases to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for criminal prosecution over the last year.
Assaults and flight deck breaches
The US-based regulator stated that since late 2021, it has now referred more than 310 most serious cases to the
FBI
under the pair’s partnership to ensure unruly travelers face criminal prosecution.
When the
FAA
refers a case to the FBI, the latter works closely with law enforcement partners and appropriate agencies to conduct an investigation.
Photo: Awasada Kalayanamit | Shutterstock
The newly referred cases happened between November 15, 2021, and March 3, with at least three attempts to breach the flight deck.
Passengers had attempted to break into the cockpit on April 20, 2023, November 9, 2023, and March 3.
The FAA also reported at least 24 cases of physical and sexual assault, as well as six incidents that it defined as inappropriate physical contact between two passengers, with three separate instances of a traveler attempting to inappropriately touch a minor.
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Unacceptable behavior continues
Pete Buttigieg, the Secretary of Transportation of the US, stated that dangerous passengers put everyone at risk, and the Biden-Harris administration has been clear that disruptive travelers will be held accountable.
“Unruly travelers face stiff fines from the FAA and possible criminal prosecution too.”
Meanwhile, Mike Whitaker, the Administrator of the FAA, added that there was no excuse for unruly behavior, emphasizing Buttigieg’s point that such actions threatened everyone onboard and that the FAA has zero tolerance about such behaivor.
Photo: Cassiohabib | Shutterstock
“The rate of unruly passenger incidents has dropped by over 80 percent since record-highs in early 2021 but unacceptable behavior continues to occur. Airlines have reported more than 1,240 unruly passenger cases in 2024.”
The FAA added that it has pursued legal action against any traveler who assaults, threatens, intimidates, or interferes with flight crewmembers, which could result in a potential fine of up to $37,000 per violation.
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Peaking in 2021
The FAA’s unruly passenger site detailed that such incidents peaked in 2021 when airlines reported 5,973 instances of travelers acting inappropriately onboard an aircraft.
Photo: The Bold Bureau | Shutterstock
In 2019, airlines reported 1,161 cases, while year-to-date (YTD), carriers provided 1,375 cases to the FAA.
In addition to the aforementioned potential $37,000 fine, the regulator said that cases could result in jail time and a felony conviction, as well as affect the eligibility for the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) PreCheck or even the inclusion on an airline’s internal no-fly list.
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The United States Experienced A Drop In Unruly Passenger Incidents In 2023
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