In the 1960s, United Airlines was known for its tagline, “Fly the Friendly Skies of United.” A half-century later, airline passengers are more likely to experience bad behavior by a fellow passenger than a friendly smile and sharing the armrest. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the number of unruly passenger incidents increased in late 2020 and reached almost six thousand (5,981) incidents of passenger bad behavior in 2021, most of which were mask-related (4,290).
Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants, told CNN Travel that [airline attendants] “have a lot of incidents that are happening more regularly that are violent maybe not directly toward someone, but in actions and words: punching backs of seats, spitting, throwing trash at people, yelling obscenities, using racial, gender and homophobic slurs.”
Some attendants take self-defense classes to protect themselves following an incident on Southwest Airlines where a passenger knocked out two of a flight attendant’s teeth.
Pete Buttigieg, the Secretary of Transportation, announced on The View television show on April 8, 2022, that the FAA has a Zero Tolerance policy against unruly passenger behavior. “If you are on an airplane, don’t be a jerk and don’t endanger the flight crews and fellow passengers. If you do, you will be fined by the FAA.”
The Administration has proposed fines of $2 million in 2022, including fines of $81,950 for an American Airlines passenger who pushed, hit, and bit an attendant and $77,272 for a Delta Airlines passenger who tried to kiss the passenger seated next to her, tried to exit the airplane in flight and bit another passenger multiple times. Arrested unruly passengers are subject to criminal prosecution and civil penalties. Passengers who are fined have the option to pay, dispute the violation, or provide documentation showing they are not able to pay the fine.
Ben Baldanza, a former CEO of Spirit Airlines, suggests that the rise in violence is due to:
- Fewer frequent travelers onboard. With businesses replacing travel with video conferencing, there are more inexperienced fliers who don’t understand “the rules of the road.” Baldanza points to the rise in the number of guns found by TSA officials during boarding as evidence of their inexperience.
- Masking rules. Airlines proactively required masks, a requirement subsequently mandated by Federal authority. Inconsistent and changing regulations by Federal, State, and local officials added to passengers’ confusion and frustration.
- Pandemic fatigue. After more than a year of restrictions on movement and an inability to lead a “normal life,” many people resent the regulations or see them as a violation of their rights. Combined with the feeling of losing control and alcohol, passengers react without considering the consequences.
- The general increase in violence. Baldanza asserts that as violence is normalized in many ways, it transfers to an aircraft cabin. Airlines are part of society and part of this trend.
A bipartisan group of Congressional leaders – Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn. – proposed a bill in April 2022 that would place violent passengers on a lifetime commercial no-fly list. The Editorial Board of the Chicago Tribune points to unintended consequences of giving the airlines power for overreach, racial profiling, and violations of due process.