Disruptive airline passengers have been fined upward of $1million in civil penalties this year, with a majority of the fines are related to refusing to wear face masks, as required by federal law.
Any other year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sees 100 to 150 instances of bad passenger behavior, but 2021 has proven to be much more challenging.
Of the whopping 3,900 incidents this year, 2,867 – or 74 percent – were related to refusal to wear masks, according to the FAA.
Among all cases of poor passenger behavior, there were 34 passengers facing more than $500,000 in fines. The total amount of proposed civil penalties exceeds $1million this year, NBC News reported.
Of the 34 new cases, 22 involved passengers who did not follow the mask mandate that the Transportation Security Administration extended to next January, according to NBC News.
On a flight from New York to California in May, a male passenger who refused to wear a mask allegedly harassed other passengers by throwing a playing card at one person, and making ‘stabbing gestures’ at others aboard the aircraft.
He also snorted what appeared to be cocaine out of a plastic bag. Flight crew had to arm themselves with the mallets used for crushing ice, as well as zip-ties in the event they had to restrain him, NPR reported.
Many of the other incidents detailed in the FAA report are of passengers refusing to mask up and acting aggressively and unruly while in the air.
On an April 12 flight from Boston to Orlando, a passenger received a $29,000 fine after allegedly refusing to follow the mask mandate, shouting obscenities at the flight crew and punching a seated passenger whom she bumped into while going to the bathroom, NBC reported.
The FAA has a zero-tolerance policy in regards to unruly behavior from passengers. Fines for misconduct in their latest report range from $7,500 to $45,000.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began requiring masks on all forms of public transport in January 2021, including indoor areas like the interiors of planes and buses. Outdoor transportation areas are exempt.
Unruly and dangerous passengers can face potential criminal charges, heavy fines or lifetime bans on certain airlines.
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