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‘Inserted finger into nose’: 3,000 unruly US air travellers reported in 2021, FAA proposes penalty
The FAA has proposed civil penalties ranging from $7,500 to $15,500 against four airline passengers for violating in-flight guidelines and federal regulations.
US aviation authorities have received about 3,000 reports of unruly passengers this year, a massive surge in bad behaviour on flights amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Monday said that about 2,300 passengers refused to comply with the federal facemask mandate.
In May, US authorities lifted the mask mandate for fully vaccinated individuals following a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), however, they are still required to wear a mask on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation. Masks are also required in US transportation hubs such as airports and stations.
The FAA has proposed civil penalties ranging from $7,500 to $15,500 against four airline passengers for violating in-flight guidelines and federal regulations. According to the FAA, the passengers allegedly interfered with flight attendants who instructed them to obey cabin crew instructions and various federal regulations.
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One of these four passengers reported by airlines inserted her finger into her nose in response to a flight attendant’s direction to wear her mask, the FAA said. She allegedly yelled, used profanity and refused to read a warning note that a flight attendant issued to her. As a result, the captain had to divert the Cancun-bound flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The FAA has proposed a $10,500 fine against the JetBlue Airlines passenger.
The FAA alleges that a passenger onboard an Alaska Airlines flight from Boise, Idaho, to Los Angeles, California, smoked an e-cigarette in the aeroplane lavatory, which activated the lavatory smoke detector system. The passenger walked through the cabin without a face mask over his mouth and nose and repeatedly ignored flight attendants’ instructions to wear his facemask properly.
Following its policy, the FAA has not identified individuals against whom it has proposed civil penalties. The passengers have 30 days after receiving the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.
