The Federal Aviation Administration announced more than $60,000 in fines since the start of the year against passengers who disobeyed flight attendants over various federal regulations, including masking aboard flights.
On Monday, the FAA said five passengers will face hefty fines, ranging from $9,000 to $15,000 over their “unruly and dangerous” behavior against airline staff.
“Federal law prohibits interfering with aircraft crew or physically assaulting or threatening to physically assault aircraft crew or anyone else on an aircraft,” a press release from the FAA stated.
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Two passengers were slapped with $15,000 fines, each for different incidents. One episode occurred aboard a February JetBlue flight from Miami to Los Angeles when a passenger from the main cabin was delivered a meal, champagne, and a headset from the first-class section of the flight. When confronted by a flight attendant, the passenger allegedly yelled obscenities, later following the flight attendant into the first-class section and assaulting him.
The incident resulted in the flight diverting its course to Austin, Texas, where the passenger was removed from the aircraft.
A second passenger charged with the same fine allegedly drank his personal alcohol on a January JetBlue flight from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles, despite being told it was prohibited. The passenger was also allegedly talking on his cellphone and reportedly yelled at the flight attendant who tried to stop him.
The other passengers, who face a $15,000, $10,500, or a $9,000 fine for separate incidents, were allegedly in violation of the federal mask mandate amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The highest fine was given to a passenger who allegedly shoved a flight attendant who was reportedly checking to make sure passengers were wearing face coverings.
The passenger with the $9,000 fine was on a February flight from Oakland, California, to Houston, Texas, and had reportedly thrown his face mask on the ground and argued with the flight attendant that masking wouldn’t be enforced upon arrival in the Lone Star State. After his refusal, the flight captain arranged for law enforcement to meet him at the airport.
The identities of the passengers have not been released.
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Since Jan. 1, 2021, the FAA said it has received about 2,500 reports of unruly behavior by passengers, including 1,900 reports of those who refused to comply with the federal mask mandate.
