FAA to crack down after ‘politically motivated aggression’ on flights
The Federal Aviation Administration vowed to take strong action against rowdy or dangerous in-flight behavior after several incidents on flights to and from the Washington, D.C. area.
FAA Administrator Steve Dickson responded to multiple incidents on flights before and after a mob of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol.
"The FAA will pursue strong enforcement action against anyone who endangers the safety of a flight, with penalties ranging from monetary fines to jail time," Dickson said.
That can mean ‘unruly passenger behavior, which can distract, disrupt and threaten crew members.’
The Association of Flight Attendants said that every airline flying to and from the Washington DC region in the past few days experienced incidents of unruly behavior.
American Airlines stopped serving alcohol on flights out of DC and beefed up its staffing presence on the ground as ‘precautionary measures.’
The union cited incidents ‘politically motivated aggression’ toward crew members and other passengers.
Alaska Airlines banned 14 unruly passengers from future travel for refusing to wear masks.
"A number of passengers on board Alaska Airlines Flight 1085 from Washington Dulles to Seattle were non-mask compliant, rowdy, argumentative and harassed our crew members. Their behavior was unacceptable," an airline spokesperson said.
There have been dozens of arrests related to the storming of the Capitol which left five people dead, including a police officer.
Written by Ray Montgomery, US Editor
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt