Passengers recurrently verbally and physically assault flight attendants. However, in the United States, it’s totally different already. The Federal Aviation Administration implemented a zero-tolerance policy toward disruptive passengers in January 2021. Do you want to know how big it is? Try cursing a flight attendant, and you’ll have to pay a whopping $9,000 fine. Yes, you will be charged $9,000 if you curse your flight attendant while she is on duty. What’s more, if you punch or slap them? I hope that sexual abuse is included as well.
Delta passenger slapped a $52,500 fine after hitting flight attendant
An unidentified Delta passenger was fined $52,500 after striking a cabin crew member on duty twice. The flight attendants stopped the rowdy passenger from opening the cockpit door. The passenger refused to comply with the cabin crew and struck and pushed a flight steward to the floor. With the assistance of another passenger, the other cabin crew were able to restrain the unruly passenger with plastic hand cuffs. The disruptive passenger, on the other hand, was able to break free and hit the flight steward in the face for the second time. After the plane touched down, the passenger was apprehended.
A JetBlue passenger was fined $18,500 for defying flight attendants.
On February 5, 2021, a JetBlue passenger was fined $18,500 for disobeying his cabin crew. The passenger refused to obey the cabin crew after being told that he could not bring his own alcohol on board. Furthermore, the unruly passenger disregarded his cabin crew’s instruction to properly wear his face mask. Flight attendants told him he had to wear his facemask over his mouth and nose unless he was eating or drinking, but he kept removing it or wearing it incorrectly, according to the FAA. Because of the disruptions caused by the passenger, flight attendants were required to alert the pilots about his behavior, which distracted them from performing their duties and responsibilities.
Allegiant Air passenger fined $9,000 for cursing and disobeying flight attendant.
An unruly passenger on an Allegiant Air flight on February 15, 2021, was fined $9,000 for cursing and disobeying flight attendants. As she boarded the plane, a flight attendant instructed her to wear a facemask over her mouth and nose. After the plane took off, a flight attendant reminded her to put on her mask because she wasn’t wearing it. The passenger rolled her eyes and refused to wear her mask. When the flight attendant asked her to put on the mask again, she did so without covering her mouth and nose and said she would not wear it.
Later, she came to the front of the plane to use the restroom, but it was occupied, so she sat in the exit row.
After the flight attendant told her she couldn’t sit in the exit row, she stood up, screamed at the flight attendant while not wearing her mask over her mouth and nose. When another flight attendant attempted to give the passenger a disturbance form, the passenger began cursing and telling the flight attendants they couldn’t help them.
Increased fines and a zero-tolerance policy for disruptive passengers
Unruly passengers endanger the safety of the flight and the other passengers on board. These rowdy passengers had been a major issue in the past, and it was time for authorities to take action. Of course, we all want our flights to be safe and comfortable. While it is the cabin crew’s responsibility to ensure the passengers’ safety, it is the passengers’ responsibility to cooperate.
Hopefully, other countries including the Philippines would adapt such policy.
Here in the Philippines, flight crew members are protected by Republic Act 9497 Chapter XI Sec. 81 clause 9 which states that “Any person who, while on board an aircraft, interferes with a crewmember’s or flight attendant’s performance of their duties, assaults, intimidates, or threatens any crewmember or flight attendant, shall be subjected to imprisonment from one (1) year to three (3) years or a fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (Php50,000.00) but not exceeding Five hundred thousand pesos (Php500,000.00), or both, as determined by the court.“
Let’s hope that our civil aviation authorities would also adapt a zero-tolerance policy against unruly passengers.
At the end of the day, it’s all for our safety.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
