Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
U.S.A.
English
Canada
English
Canada Quebec
Français
  • News
  • Packaged Travel
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Air
  • Training & Resources
  • Luxury Travel Report

FAA Proposes $160,000 in Fines for Alcohol-Fueled Incidents

by Daniel McCarthy  November 24, 2021
FAA Proposes $160,000 in Fines for Alcohol-Fueled Incidents

Photo: Shutterstock.com

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is continuing its crackdown on misbehaving passengers.

After instituting a zero-tolerance policy toward unruly passengers last summer, a policy that resulted in over $1 million in fines across almost 4,000 incidents, the FAA this week announced that it was proposing even more fines, this time for “unruly behavior involving alcohol.”

The FAA is proposing $161,823 in civil penalties against eight airline passengers for incidents specifically involving alcohol.

The incidents include an April Southwest flight from San Jose to San Diego when a passenger, who brought their own alcohol on their flight, sexually assaulted a flight attendant, and then smoke marijuana in the cabin’s lavatory. The FAA has proposed a $40,823 fine against that passenger.  

The report also includes a March Delta Air Lines flight from Fort Myers to Detroit where a passenger who appeared intoxicated and admitted to drinking before the flight, took off his facemask, swore at passengers and accused them of stealing his property, and then threatened a crewmember, causing the flight to divert to Atlanta. The FAA proposed a $24,000 fine against him.

Another example is a March incident that occurred on an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Burbank when a passenger who refused to put on a facemask demanded a refund on the flight because he was skipped for food and drink service when he was sleeping. He then became combative with flight attendants when they asked to him again wear his facemask after he finished a drink they had delivered.

After he was served another drink, he threw it to the floor and stomped on it. The FAA has proposed a $34,250 fine against him.

According to the FAA, those three incidents are just some of the nearly 300 passenger disturbances due to alcohol and intoxication since Jan. 1, 2021. In order to combat the trend, the FAA has asked airports to prevent passengers from bringing “to-go” cups of alcohol aboard their airplane and only allow the cabin crew to serve them inflight.

The report is the continuation of a troubling trend for flight crews who have been tasked with enforcing a lot of the new COVID-19 measures, like face mask requirements, since the pandemic began. While a typical year sees unruly incidents top out somewhere around 150, COVID-19 has caused chaos in the skies and has left flight attendants to endure more than ever, with close to 4,000 reports in 2021. 

Most famously this year, there was an incident of an unruly passenger on a Frontier flight from Philadelphia to Miami earlier this month when attendants had to duct-tape a passenger to a seat because of his behavior that went viral. 

The FAA has taken extraordinary steps to try and get passengers to comply with the new COVID-19 rules, including a marketing campaign that asked passengers to treat airplanes like a trip to grandma’s house. 

  
  

MOST VIEWED

  1. Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels 40+ Cruises on Two Ships
  2. U.S. Issues Worldwide Travel Warning for All Americans Traveling Abroad
  3. Here Are All the New Cruise Ships Coming in 2026, 2027, and Beyond
  4. Travel Leaders Network President John Lovell to Depart for Cruise Role
  5. Hilton Rewards Reservations Canceled Amid Transition of Playa Hotels to Hyatt
  6. Ask-an-Advisor: How Do I Know When It’s Time to Fire a Client?


  1. U.S. and International Airlines Halt Dubai, Mideast Flights Due to Iran-Israel Conflict
  2. Overtourism Backlash Heats Up in Europe as Summer Season Kicks Off
  3. New Greece Cruise Passenger Tax Coming this July
  4. What Does Success Look Like for a Travel Advisor?
  5. Two Wins and Two Losses for Travel in the New U.S. Budget Bill
  6. New U.S. Travel Bans Would Hinder Tourism, Industry Leaders Say
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth luxury coverage, analysis of luxury news, luxury trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
As the Market Holds, Here Are Four Trends Keeping Advisors Busy 
As the Market Holds, Here Are Four Trends Keeping Advisors Busy 

While a slowdown in travel bookings hasn’t materialized as a trend this year, other trends have emerged.

Travefy Launches CRM Suite for Travel Advisors
Travefy Launches CRM Suite for Travel Advisors

Travefy said the new tools could help advisors save hundreds of hours each year.

Forget the Headlines — Here’s What’s Really Stressing Consortia, Host, & Franchise Execs
Forget the Headlines — Here’s What’s Really Stressing Consortia, Host, & Franchise Execs

“There’s all kinds of noise out there that we can’t control…”

Ask-an-Advisor: What Makes You Loyal to a Travel Supplier?
Ask-an-Advisor: What Makes You Loyal to a Travel Supplier?

What tips the scale when choosing who to work with again and again?

Michael Yitzhakov Named Director General of the Israel Ministry of Tourism
Michael Yitzhakov Named Director General of the Israel Ministry of Tourism

Yitzhakov has served as the chief of staff to the minister of tourism since 2023.

Travel Agency Groups Still Up Year Over Year Despite Fluctuations
Travel Agency Groups Still Up Year Over Year Despite Fluctuations

An interruption in bookings in spring did flatten the growth curve, but it also led to a rise of close-in trip planning.

TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
View All
Advertiser's Voice
AmaWaterways’ Unrivaled Christmas Onboard Experience
About Travel Market Report Mission Meet the Team Advisory Board Advertise Syndication Guidelines
TMR Resources Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
© 2005 - 2025 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Manage cookie preferences