The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating more than 40 cases of improper conduct by airline passengers across the country.
Last year, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) referred 43 cases of misconduct by people on board aircraft to law enforcement.
The cases mentioned represent only a small part of the chaos on board aircraft: this year alone, 1,375 cases of undisciplined passengers have been reported.
According to FAA data, the number of undisciplined passengers peaked in 2021 and has since dropped by over 80%.
The two agencies adopted an information-sharing protocol in 2021 that allows the FAA to refer some cases to the FBI for review.
The aim of the partnership is to ensure that criminal prosecution is carried out against recalcitrant passengers in justified cases.
During the height of Covid-19, reports of such incidents skyrocketed, reaching a peak of nearly 6,000 reports in 2021. This included more than 4,000 incidents in which airlines enforced mask requirements on board aircraft.
Since 2021, the FAA has referred a total of more than 310 cases to the FBI.
Most of the incidents this year involved passengers behaving aggressively and threateningly towards crew members and other passengers.
The cases mentioned include:
- Three incidents in which passengers attempted to break into the cockpit
- At least seven incidents in which a passenger physically attacked other passengers or crew members
- At least 13 cases of sexually inappropriate behavior by passengers or sexual assault on crew members or fellow passengers
- Four cases in which passengers inappropriately touched or physically assaulted a minor passenger
- Two cases in which passengers attempted to open emergency exit doors or break open aircraft doors
The FAA takes legal action against passengers who attack, threaten, intimidate or obstruct flight crew members.
The violations can result in civil penalties of up to $37,000 (€33,200) per count.
Last year, the FAA imposed a $7.5 million fine and initiated 512 investigations after processing more than 2,000 reports of improper passenger conduct.
