The FAA chief warns travelers severely after flight disruptions for political reasons

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration said on Saturday that passengers will face serious consequences for undisciplined behavior on the plane, a stern warning that comes after several incidents on board over the past week. involve singing in favor of Trump and the refusal of passengers to wear masks, a requirement to fly to American airlines.

“The FAA will take strong enforcement action against anyone who endangers the safety of a flight, with penalties ranging from monetary fines to jail,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson , in a statement.

Unruly passengers can receive fines of up to $ 35,000.

Alaska Airlines said Friday it banned 14 passengers on a Washington DC-Seattle flight. The passengers “were not wearing masks, they were annoying, arguing and harassing crew members. Their behavior was unacceptable,” Alaska Airlines spokesman Ray Lane said. “We apologize to the other guests who felt uncomfortable during the flight.

Videos of various incidents were shared on social media. An American Airlines pilot on a flight from Washington to Phoenix warned passengers that he would “drop this plane and drop people in downtown Kansas” to convince passengers to “behave” on board.

“At American, we take the safety of our customers seriously and value the trust they place in our team to care for them during their trip,” American said in a statement. The pilot made an announcement stressing the importance of following the instructions of crew members and complying with mandatory facial coverage policies. “

Earlier in the week, some passengers chanted “traitor” on a Delta Air Lines flight carrying Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah. Delta said his “crew quickly engaged and resolved the issue.”

This week, on another flight, American Airlines flight attendants turned on the lights and ordered the passengers to sit down after the passengers called and cursed each other, according to a video shared by Twitter user @MaranieRae who said he was on the flight.

“I expect all passengers to follow the instructions of the crew members, who are in place for their safety and flight safety,” Dickson said. “The FAA monitors and monitors all commercial passenger flights in real time and there are reporting mechanisms for crew members to identify any safety issues that may arise during the flight.”

Dickson said undisciplined behavior can distract crews and threaten the ability of crew members to perform safety-related tasks.

Dickson’s statements come after flight attendant unions raised security concerns this week over interruptions of political motives on flights after a pro-Trump crowd stormed the U.S. Capitol building, demanding that annul the results of the presidential election.

“The mental behavior of the crowd that took place yesterday on several flights in the DC area was unacceptable and endangered the safety of everyone on board,” said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Assistants of DC. Vol-CWA, which represents about 50,000 cabin crew members from United, Alaska and more than a dozen airlines, said Wednesday.

The airlines had taken precautions before and after the political riot at the Capitol, moving crews to airport hotels. American Airlines suspended alcohol consumption on flights from Washington DC.

“We should work harder to keep the issues on the ground,” the AFA told flight attendants members after the FAA notice on Saturday. “Make sure the masks are strictly complied with before the setback. Work as a single crew, communicate and take your concerns to the control cabin and supervisors.”