The Federal Aviation Administration announced two of its highest-ever fines for unruly passenger behavior on Friday, which together total over $150,000.

What You Need To Know

  • The Federal Aviation Administration announced two of its highest-ever fines for unruly passenger behavior on Friday; the two fines, which stem from separate incidents, total over $150,000

  • One person, who allegedly hit, kicked, bit and headbutted airline crew and passengers on a July 7, 2021 American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Charlotte, N.C., was fined $81,950

  • The second incident occurred on July 16, 2021, on a Delta flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta when a passenger was restrained for allegedly assaulting crew and passengers; she was fined $77,272

  • In response to the increase in unruly passengers, Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg on Friday offered a stern warning to those who might be boarding an aircraft in the near future

The fines came from two separate incidents last year: One occured on July 7, 2021, when a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Charlotte, N.C., allegedly hit, kicked, bit and headbutted airline crew and passengers after falling into an aisle, per the FAA. 

“Two flight attendants tried to restrain the passenger, but she repeatedly hit one of the flight attendants on the head,” the FAA alleged in part, saying the passenger was restrained in cuffs before being detained by law enforcement upon arrival in Charlotte. The FAA, which does not publicly identify individuals subject to civil penalties, fined the passenger $81,950. 

The second incident occurred on July 16, 2021, on a Delta AirLine flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta. The passenger allegedly attempted to kiss a person seated next to her on the flight, attempted to exit the aircraft while in the air and bit another passenger “multiple times,” per the FAA. The crew “had to physically restrain” the passenger, who was fined $77,272. 

Both passengers have 30 days to respond to the agency after receiving notice of the penalties.

Since Jan. 1, 2022, the FAA has levied a total of $2 million in fines for unruly passenger behavior. Throughout all of 2021, the agency proposed a total of $5 million in fines for the same issue, the worst year on record for unruly passenger incidents on flights, which largely increased in response to federal masking mandates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In 2020, the FAA opened a mere 183 investigations into unruly passengers. At the end of 2021, that number had skyrocketed to 1,113 unruly passenger investigations; so far this year, the FAA has opened 309 such investigations. 

In response to the increase in unruly passengers, Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg on Friday offered a stern warning to those who might be boarding an aircraft in the near future. 

“If you're on an airplane, don't be a jerk. Don't endanger your fellow passengers,” he said on ABC’s The View. “The bottom line is, if you [...] endanger flight crews and passengers, you will be fined by the FAA and you may be referred for criminal prosecution as well. You might lose the privilege of flying on that airline.” 

The FAA has initiated around 350 enforcement actions so far this year.