The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed $161,823 in civil penalties against eight airline passengers for alleged unruly behavior due to alcohol intoxication, a Nov, 22 FAA press release said.
The FAA said it has received nearly 300 reports against airline passengers who displayed disruptive behavior under the influence of alcohol since Jan. 1. In response, the administration amended the Compliance and Enforcement Program on Jan. 13 to allow for civil penalties against offenders, according to the policy document.
"Today's fines are part of the agency's Zero Tolerance campaign against unruly passenger behavior,” the release said. “In September, the FAA met with airports, airlines, unions and industry partners to discuss what additional efforts the FAA and aviation stakeholders can take to prevent unruly passenger incidents.”
One of the eight passengers received a $40,823 fine. While traveling from San Jose to San Diego, the passenger drank alcohol brought on board, sexually assaulted a flight attendant and smoked marijuana in the lavatory, the release said. The passenger was arrested at the gate for public intoxication and resisting arrest.
"The FAA has seen a disturbing increase in incidents where airline passengers have disrupted flights with threatening or violent behavior,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a Jan. 13 release. “These incidents have stemmed both from passengers' refusals to wear masks and from recent violence at the U.S. Capitol."
The FAA has received 5,338 reports of unruly passenger behavior since the start of the year, a report from CNBC said. Of those reports, 3,856 were related to mask mandates.
In response to the growing number of reports, President Biden ordered the Justice Department to address the rising number of violent incidents, CNBC said.
"The FAA has recently observed a proliferation of such conduct, including conduct stemming from the failure to wear masks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic-related health measures in place on board aircraft or conduct following the January 6, 2021 violence at the U.S. Capitol,” the Jan. 13 order said.
