Over the past year, United States aviation officials have referred over 40 cases of air passenger misconduct to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), including incidents of physical and sexual violence. The 43 referrals come under a protocol introduced in 2021 permitting Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to share information and request review from the country’s law enforcement body.
1,400 cases reported in last year
According to FBI’s official pages, the types of incident they deal with include those committed at airports prior to flights, as well as on-board problems. The list includes interference with security procedures and violence, as well as physical assaults, which can range from unwanted sexual contact to spitting; interfering with flight crew, including physical incidents and threats; theft; and bomb threats.
While the FAA says incidents of unruly passenger behaviour have dropped by 80% since their height in 2021, nearly 1,400 cases have been reported in the last year alone, meaning the 43 instances referred to the FBI represent just 3% of the overall problem.
Security and door breaches and assaults
Over two-thirds of around 6,000 reported cases during the anti-social peak in 2021 were due to passengers refusing to comply with Covid-19 mask requirements. But in the past year the majority of incidents involved aggressive and threatening behaviour from flyers towards crew members and other passengers.
The list of shame includes:
- Three flight deck breaches
- Two attempts to open aircraft doors
- At least seven physical assaults on fellow passengers or crew
- At least 13 sexual assaults or inappropriate contacts, with four perpetrated on minors
“Dangerous passengers”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg denounced those he labelled “dangerous passengers” in a statement, adding that they “put everyone at risk.” The FAA’s partnership with the FBI is aimed at ensuring problem flyers are dealt with and to act as a deterrent. As well as the risk of criminal proceedings, assaults on air crew can result in civil charges punishable by fines of up to $37,000 (€33,200). After more than 2,000 unruly passenger reports, which led to 512 investigations, US law enforcement and FAA efforts resulted in a haul of $7.5 million in fines in 2023.
Anyone can report an incident of passenger misconduct whether they are a victim or a witness of a suspected crime, or an observer of any activity they deem suspicious. Reports should be made through channels such as flight crew, airport authority, police, and the FBI.
