Unruly passengers have become a thorn in the side of airline workers and regulators are ready to impose more consequences for bad behavior.
On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced a new partnership with the Transportation Security Administration that would allow the FAA to share the details of passengers who have been fined for disruptive behavior. Travelers who are deemed low-risk can be removed from the PreCheck program by the TSA.
The passengers don't have to remove their shoes, belts, or light jackets from their body or their bags at the security checkpoint.
The unruly behaviors, especially those involving physical assault occurring aboard aircraft, have no place in theTSA. David Pekoske, the Administrator of the TSA, said they have great respect for airport staff, gate agents and flight crews. The partnership with FAA will help ensure the safety and security of all passengers and hold those who violate federal regulations accountable for their actions.
The information-sharing will encourage passengers to be responsible travelers, said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson.
He said in a press release that if you act out of line, you will wait in line.
Unruly passengers are a hot topic in the airline industry. The FAA has received 5,664 reports of unruly behavior, with 4,072 of them related to masks.
There are over 5,000 reports, and just 315 have been initiated with enforcement cases, which can result in fines of up to $37,000 per violation.
One of the ways the FAA and the TSA are trying to deter disruptive acts is by partnering. The agency implemented a zero-tolerance policy in January after a disturbing increase in unruly passenger reports.
The option of just a warning or counseling used to be an option for anyone who "physically assaults, threatens, intimidates, or interferes with airline crew members."
The FAA and the Department of Justice have begun sharing information about acts of violence from unruly passengers to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to CBS News, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants Union said that not enough is being done to address incidents in the airport, despite the fact that 37 names have been sent to the FBI. Ground employees who have faced unruly passengers are not included in the FAA's numbers, and none of those passengers have been punished under federal law.
Nelson said in prepared remarks for a Senate hearing last Wednesday that local law officers are slow to respond when incidents occur at the gates, fail to properly document the incident by taking statements from witnesses and often do not detain the offending passenger.
