Skift Take
Fines for unruly passengers are rising, but without prosecutorial authority, the Federal Aviation Administration's hands are tied. If disruptive and dangerous behavior is going to come to an end, the FAA must be given the means to make unruly passenger behavior the crime that it is. It's time for Congress to step up to the plate.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed new fines against unruly flyers that now brings the total levied so far this year to more than $1 million.
The agency on Thursday said it is proposing an additional $531,545 in civil penalties against 34 airline passengers for disorderly behavior.
Those new FAA fines in its "zero-tolerance" policy bring the total of penalties brought against unruly passengers since January to more than $1 million, many for disputes over refusing to wear masks on board. On Tuesday, the agency announced it was extending its mask mandate through 2022.
How much has the FAA collected, and what is it doing to enforce it?
"Federal regulations give individuals several opportunities to challenge the FAA’s fine. Because of this, we remain early in the process on fines collected," FAA spokesperson Emma Duncan told Skift in an email.
Besides paying the fine in full, Duncan said passengers receiving penalty notices from the FAA have several options available to them, including disputing the fine by providing information the violation didn't occur or doesn't warrant the penalty amount proposed.
Other options include requesting a meeting to discuss t
