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DannyB writes:

Unruly passenger incidents rising again, FAA data shows:

FAA figures released Tuesday show more disruptions on commercial flights in the past week than any week in the past two and a half months.

The FAA says there were 128 new incidents reported by flight crews, bringing this year's total to 4,626 incidents. The new number is the highest weekly figure since the FAA started releasing weekly data on July 20.

About 72% of issues in the past week were over the federal transportation mask mandate, figures show.

[...] The agency has proposed more than $1 million in fines against unruly airline passengers this year.

One $45,000 fine announced in August was against a passenger accused of throwing his luggage at another passenger and, while lying on the aisle floor, "grabbing a flight attendant by the ankles and putting his head up her skirt."

Another passenger would not wear his face mask, the FAA, said, and "acted as though his hand was a gun and made a 'pew, pew' noise as if he was shooting a fellow passenger."

[...] Pekoske said 110 TSA officers have been assaulted this year.

Lots Of Talk About A Crackdown On America’s Air Rage Epidemic—But Not Enough Action:

Among the most egregious incidents: Last December, a Delta Air Lines passenger tried to open the cockpit door mid-flight and struck a flight attendant in the face before being restrained by crew members and a fellow passenger. On an Alaska Airlines flight in March, a Colorado man who refused to wear a face mask swatted at a flight attendant, then stood up and urinated in his seat area. In May, a Southwest Airlines passenger punched out a flight attendant’s teeth after being told to keep her seat belt fastened.

[...] The threat of four- and five-figure fines has not tamped down unruly behavior on planes. “Civil penalties alone are failing to deter criminal activity by airline passengers,” [...]

[...] The airline industry, meanwhile, says this is a job for the Department of Justice. “We believe that the United States Government is well equipped to prosecute unruly and disruptive onboard behavior,” [...]

What, if anything, should be done, or could improve the situation?

Original Submission