During an Alaska Airlines flight from Washington, DC to Seattle last week, several passengers refused to wear masks and harassed crew members, the airline said. In response, Alaska banned 14 passengers on that Thursday flight – just a few of an increasing number of disturbing passengers airlines are putting on their own no-fly lists. And now the Federal Aviation Administration has announced that it will start taking legal action against such behavior in the future.
Calling these passengers “turbulent” and “argumentative”, Alaska Airlines said in a statement that it has banned more than 300 passengers since August for violating its mask policy.
“Their behavior was unacceptable. Because of their actions and non-compliance, we have banned 14 of these passengers from future trips with us,” said the airline. “We apologize to other guests who were uncomfortable during the flight. We will not tolerate any disturbance on board our aircraft or at any of the airports we serve.”
The lists compiled by individual airlines – unlike the federal air exclusion list, which aims to block suspected terrorists in the skies – have grown to more than 2,700 people, CBS News confirmed. Flight bans arose out of mask requirements put in place due to coronavirus. Most flight bans will last until mask policies are lifted at the end of the pandemic.
Many of the bans occurred last week, following the violent rebellion in the United States Capitol.
The order signed on Wednesday by FAA administrator Steve Dickson means that undisciplined passengers will no longer receive warning or advice, which the agency said was common practice in such incidents.
“The FAA has seen a worrying increase in incidents in which airline passengers interrupted flights with threatening or violent behavior. These incidents resulted both from passengers’ refusal to wear masks and from recent violence on the United States Capitol,” says the FAA announcement .
Although American Airlines refused to disclose the number of banned customers, the airline confirmed that it had added customers to its internal list of denied flights to and from Washington last week, including a passenger who refused to wear a mask on a flight Sunday in a viral video.
“We are working closely with local authorities and airport authorities to ensure the safety of our customers and staff members on the ground and in the air,” the airline said in a statement on Thursday. “We have also increased staff at airports in the Washington DC area and will not serve alcohol on flights to and from this area as a precaution. We will continue to apply policies that ensure the safety and well-being of our customers and staff members. “
The American Association of Professional Flight Attendants, a union of flight attendants, said it had set up a hotline for members to report on these meetings, which they told CBS last week to include a union member being harassed with racial epithets while traveling on a bus from the hotel to Reagan National Airport and another being harassed by passengers who refused to wear their masks while traveling.
A United Airlines spokesman said they banned 60 people last week, and Alaska Airlines confirmed that it banned 32 people.
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents about 50,000 flight attendants on 17 airlines, including United and Alaska, called the behavior “a new type of airborne threat” in a communication with its members.
“The mafia behavior that occurred on several flights to the DC area yesterday was unacceptable and threatened the safety of every person on board,” said Sara Nelson, the union’s international president, in a statement last Wednesday.
“Some of the people who traveled on our planes yesterday participated in the Capitol uprising today,” she said. “His violent and seditious actions on Capitol Hill today create more concern about his departure from the DC area. Acts against our democracy, our government and the freedom we claim as Americans must disqualify these individuals from the freedom to fly.”
Delta Airlines removed two people from a DC flight to Minneapolis-St. Paul on Friday, and an American Airlines pilot scolded passengers on a Friday flight for his unruly behavior.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a reminder to passengers on Thursday about unruly behavior in the air, warning that it could lead to imprisonment and a fine of up to $ 35,000.
Airport disturbances have prompted authorities to increase security at airports and aircraft, a government security source briefed on the matter to CBS News – including air agents on incoming and outgoing flights from the three airports in the National Capitol region, and officers at the flight gates to those airports.
The video shared on social media after the rebellion showed protesters at airports confronting Utah Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican who condemned the attacks and criticized President Trump; Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, also a Republican; and Representative Lou Correa, a Democrat from California.
CBS News confirmed that airports across the country are increasing security and intensifying police presence at its terminals following the violence on the US Capitol.
US Capitol Police are also deploying officers to Dulles International Airport, Washington Ronald Reagan National Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Airport to assist in escorting incoming and outgoing members of Congress.
By the numbers
CBS News asked U.S. airlines how many passengers have been banned since the mask requirements were implemented and compiled the answers below. While two of the largest operators have refused to provide figures, the total is more than 2,700 people.
Alaska: 302
Faithful: 15
American: refused to disclose
Delta: more than 700
Border: more than 500
Hawaiian: 56
JetBlue: 144
Spirit: 432
South-west: refused to disclose
United: 615