FAA chief sternly warns travelers after politically motivated flight disruptions

A flight attendant collects trash on a flight aboard a Boeing 737 Max from Dallas Fort Worth Airport to Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dec.2, 2020.

Carlo Allegri | Reuters

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration said on Saturday travelers will have serious consequences for unruly behavior on planes, a stern warning that follows several onboard incidents over the past week involving pro-Trump chants and passengers’ refusal to wear masks. , a requirement to fly with US airlines.

“The FAA will take vigorous enforcement action against anyone who endangers the safety of a flight, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment,” FAA administrator Steve Dickson said in a statement.

Unruly passengers can be fined up to $ 35,000.

Alaska Airlines said Friday it has banned 14 passengers on a flight between Washington DC and Seattle. The travelers “were non-mask compliant, rowdy, quarrelsome and harassed our crew members. Their behavior was unacceptable,” said Alaska Airlines spokesman Ray Lane. “We apologize to our other guests who were uncomfortable during the flight.

Videos of various incidents were shared on social media. An American Airlines pilot on a Washington to Phoenix flight warned travelers that he would “drop this plane and dump people in the middle of Kansas” to convince passengers to “behave” on board.

“At American, we take the safety of our customers seriously and we appreciate the trust they place in our team to take care of them during their journey,” American said in a statement. The pilot made an announcement stressing the importance of following instructions from crew members and complying with mandatory face masking policies. “

Earlier in the week, some passengers chanted “traitor” on a Delta Air Lines flight with Republican Senator Mitt Romney of Utah. Delta said the “crew acted quickly and resolved the problem.”

On another flight this week, American Airlines flight attendants turned on the lights and sent passengers to their seats after passengers yelled and cursed each other, according to a video shared by Twitter user @MaranieRae who said she was on board.

“I expect all passengers to follow the instructions of the crew members, which are in effect for their safety and the safety of the flight,” said Dickson. “The FAA monitors and tracks all commercial passenger flights in real time, and there are crew notification mechanisms to identify a number of safety and security issues that may arise in flight.”

Dickson said unruly behavior can distract crews and compromise crew members’ ability to perform safety-related duties.

Dickson’s statements come after flight attendants’ unions raised concerns this week about politically motivated flight disruptions after a pro-Trump gang stormed the Capitol building demanding that the presidential election results be destroyed.

“The behavior of the crowd that took place yesterday on several flights to the DC area was unacceptable and threatened the safety and security of every person on board,” said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, who attended about 50,000 cabin crew. members at United, Alaska and more than a dozen other airlines, said Wednesday.

Airlines had taken precautions and, following the politically motivated riot in the Capitol, moved crews to airport hotels. American Airlines suspends serving of alcohol on flights to Washington DC.

“We have to work harder to keep the problems on the ground,” the AFA told flight attendants after the FAA’s warning on Saturday. “Strictly adhere to the mask before pushing back. Work as one crew, communicate and bring your concerns to the cockpit and supervisors.”

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