Congress Drafts Legislation for National No-Fly List

The first step in creating a national no-fly list for violent airline passengers has been taken.

The introduction of the federal mask mandate and a lifetime ban on commercial flights for the most unruly passengers are two issues that have plagued aviation since the start of the Pandemic.

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According to Fox Business, the Protection from Abusive Passengers Act was introduced this week by Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif.

The Transportation Security Administration would administer the list.

Most Republicans have shown resistance to such a dramatic penalty. The three lawmakers who drafted the legislation said the proposed bill is to serve as a deterrent to the appalling pattern of physical abuse that seems to have become more frequent during flights.

Ed Bastian is the CEO of Delta Air Lines and he supports a national no-fly list. The number of airline and airport incidents that were reported to the Federal Aviation Administration in 2021 is proof that something more than just financial penalties are needed.

Too many of our pilots, flight attendants and crew members are dealing with unacceptable abuse from passengers, including kicking, spitting and biting. I am proud to join Senator Reed in introducing this bill to help protect everyone aboard aircraft and to ensure flights are safe.

The Air Line Pilots Association, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, and the Transport Workers Union of America-AFL-CIO all support the bill.

Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said that a passenger can be fined or convicted and banned from an individual airline, but that doesn't prevent a violent passenger from flying another airline. There are a few bad actors who need to be grounded and face consequences for their actions.