3 in 4 unruly passenger complaints stem from mask compliance, FAA says

Three out of every four unruly passenger complaints on airlines stem from mask compliance issues, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Wednesday.

There have been 3,271 complaints of unruly passenger behavior since the beginning of the year, with about 2,475 of them concerning passengers who did not want to wear a mask, according to the FAA.

Out of the thousands of complaints of unruly passengers, the FAA said it has moved forward with 540 cases that showed “potential violations” and was already taking action against passengers in 83 of those cases.

The unruly behavior by the passengers ranges from yelling to physical violence with airline staff.

“The third rule of Fight Club is… Stop! No fighting in the airport,” the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) tweeted in response to the numbers.

The third rule of Fight Club is… Stop! No fighting in the airport.#RespectingOurOfficers https://t.co/D0PQ3uIkRZ

— TSA (@TSA) July 6, 2021

The FAA previously extended its zero-tolerance policy for unruly behavior due to the increase in complaints during the pandemic, even as air travel was at all-time lows due to the coronavirus.

The policy allows unruly passengers to face jail time or fines up to $35,000.

The FAA said it proposed more than $682,000 fines this year against unruly passengers.

Along with extending the zero-tolerance policy, the federal mask mandate on airplanes was extended to September by the TSA.

A bipartisan group of senators asked the TSA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when mask guidance will be updated for fully vaccinated individuals on public transportation as fully vaccinated individuals are no longer required to wear masks in most places.