Rate Of Unruly US Airline Passenger Incidents Drop, Remains Higher Than In 2020 - FAA

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2021) The incidence of unruly passenger incidents on US airlines has decreased significantly since the start of 2021 but it remains much higher than in 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Thursday.

"As of last week, unruly passenger incidents were occurring approximately six times per every 10,000 flights. That's an approximately 50 percent drop from early 2021, but it's more than twice as high as the end of 2020," the statement said.

According to FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, the agency's work is having an impact and the trend of unruly passenger incidents is moving in the right direction.

"But we need the progress to continue. This remains a serious safety threat, and one incident is one too many," he stressed

He added that the FAA will continue its Zero Tolerance policy and will keep its public awareness campaign going.

"We appreciate the tremendous work of all our partners in the airline, airport, labor, and law enforcement communities," Dickson concluded.

In the summer of this year, the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) told the US Congress that the assaults on their officials rose six times per capita during the coronavirus pandemic, usually because of complaints about the enforcement of regulations to wear masks during flights.

Numerous videos posted across social media this year show US airline passengers getting violent and kicked off flights for refusing to comply with the federal mask mandate.

In August this year, the TSA extended its federal mask mandate to January 18 which aims to minimize the spread of COVID-19 on public transportation.