About 2400 of the first 3000 passenger incidents reported to the FAA this year have involved mask compliance. Most are resolved peacefully.
I often wonder whether passengers get up in the morning, head to the airport, thinking they’re just going to ignore the rule and not be bothered about it? Or whether they plan to make a stand against the government?
Masks became a political point during the last administration when they should have been viewed as the conservative alternative to lockdowns. They were airline requirements at the time, and didn’t become a federal rule (duplicating what was already in place) until the Biden administration took office.
Most of the time things end peacefully. There might have been a bit of yelling, and there were certainly some misunderstandings. There were even passengers re-boarded when they were falsely accused of being mask-resisters (such as a mask-compliant two year old momentarily eating).
Occasionally things have gotten out of hand, and passengers have become violent. There’s a much greater proportion of leisure passengers now, and first-time passengers, than ever before (“every airline’s passengers are Spirit Airlines passengers now”) and we’ve seen video of shocking confrontations that became violent against cabin crew. Those are so shocking, in part, because they are also still so unusual.
However the American Airlines flight attendants union is telling its members that if things escalate to create an unsafe situation, getting law enforcement involved may not be enough. They should get the FBI involved.
As we are all aware, passenger misconduct events—and their severity—are at an all-time high. While there have been some positive strides towards holding unruly passengers accountable for their actions, we will continue to push for stricter policies, heftier punishments, and a faster response to these situations. In the meantime, here is what you need to know to protect yourself and your crew and assist in ensuring non-compliant passengers are held accountable.
If you are physically assaulted by a passenger, either inflight or on the ground, contact the Captain or a Gate Agent immediately and request that Corporate Security and law enforcement meet the aircraft. If local law enforcement is unsure of whether it is within their jurisdiction, instruct them to immediately contact the local FBI office. Contact Daily Ops at 682-315-7070 as soon as you are able to notify them of the situation. JCBA Section 34.H. protects Flight Attendants in the event of a physical assault by a passenger(s) under the scope of a serious incident.
As with any noncompliance/misconduct event, please ensure that the entire crew submits a CERS report within 24 hours of the event. This will allow Corporate Security to launch an investigation quickly and, if applicable, prohibit the passenger from traveling on American in the future. If you feel as if the misconduct resulted in the inability to perform your safety-related duties as a Flight Attendant, please submit a Cabin ASAP report as quickly as possible as a means of documentation.
To be sure, the APFA flags the potential situation where police on the ground are unsure of their jurisdiction and decide not to take any action as a result (in other words, abdicate their responsibility). And jurisdiction can be complicated for criminal behavior inflight as opposed to a mere FAA administrative fine. However police assigned to duties at the airport are generally trained in this issue.
To quote Rodney King, “can’t we all just get along?”
During recent flights on DL (no empty seats) from the east coast to LAS and return, I asked a TSA agent why the airports were so packed. He said: “Because everyone has money to travel”! Thank you, Joe Biden!
Karens.
Well, we should all just bend to the will of the worst airline in the world. Not only do they expect the tax payers to pay their operating costs, now they expect them to pay their cooperate security costs as well. It’s not like the FBI does not have better and more important things to be doing….no. Terrorists, murderers, violent cults……those are so much less important that someone not wearing a mask or standing up for their rights against some nazi flight attendant.
Haven’t these flight attendants heard of the no-fly list? Or just demand that American ban the offenders.
Honestly, if someone does anything to upset a flight attendant, they should simply be dragged off of the plane and immediately executed on the jet bridge as an example to all of the other passengers. Then all of their friends and family should be put on the no-fly list and their assets seized and turned over to the unions. This is the only way to stay safe. Remember, we’re all in this together.
Frank – that’s a fairly ignorant comment.
1. People are spending hundreds of dollars on plane tickets because of stimulus checks. It’s because they have been cooped-up for months and are travel hungry. This is the case worldwide including 3rd world countries ravaged by Covid and “stimulus check” did not exist.
2. You are asking TSA for analysis on flights/airports? F***ing seriously?!! LOL dude… you are embarrassing yourself now.
Don’t be a political troll.
Only if I can report some of the AA stupidity and bad service to the FBI.
Booo!!! Listen well people, if this job is soo imposing, dangerous, daunting and stressful, then just Quit!!! Stop making the rest of us feel like we were potential criminals and that you people are actually owed something. You OWE US REMEMBER!!! #NOBAILOUTS #NEVERAGAIN
The ” No Fly List” is managed & maintained by the TSC & FBI. – Currently the administration is considering adding Domestic Extremists/Terrorists to the list – The airlines/Airline unions and many politicians are advocating and pushing for this to happen. As a private citizen I support this move as I am have reached my limit for tolerance of these willfully ignorant, egotistical clowns who feel the need to act out and disrupt an already stressful environment when flying.
What about bad behaving flight attendants? They’ll have to report 5 people each flight if flight attendants are included. Flight attendants are the new nkvd. They are turning minor situations and escalating them as well as having instigated many of them in the first place. It’s not appropriate to make a federal case out of someone who drank a little too much on a flight or before the flight. Local law enforcement and state law enforcement are better equipped to deal with any issue than the monstrous feds.
Feds involved is very dangerous. You are guilty until proven innocent in the eyes of the system. Conservatives should give zero support to any leftist law enforcement which all law enforcement are. These aren’t decent people who want to keep people safe. These like to abuse their power and don’t care about being PEACE officers. They’ll get their fat paychecks and pensions no matter how bad they mistreat the public.
Of course they want to report people to the FBI. Why wouldn’t they? No bullshit here… My wife was spoken to like a child by a flight attendant on United last week. All she asked was if the attendant had any information about connecting flight gates, as our flight from Vegas was landing two hours late due to bad weather in Houston. The attendant proceeded to ask my wife why “…she thought she was more entitled than the other 86 people on the plane, who are all running late? Don’t you understand you’re not special?” My wife said “I was just hoping you had some information. Never mind.” The attendant said “I detect an attitude – are we going to have a problem?” We both stayed silent and after about 10 seconds and the attendant said “I didn’t think so” and walked down the isle. Frankly, to hell with those overpaid self righteous glorified waiters and waitresses in a metal tube. My wife said she now understands why I never even make eye contact with flight attendants, let alone (god forbid) ask for an extra bag of pretzels. They should be replaced with safety videos and vending machines. Put an Air Marshall in the galley to keep the cattle in the seats in line and eyeball appropriate people for exit rows, and fire all the attendants.
@Babblespeak — Remember the guy who flew JetBlue, got a mask as a gift from a first class passenger, and then the FA made him throw it out because he wasn’t sitting in first class? Would be unbelievable but he had a recording.
Lesson learned. RECORD ALL engagements with flight attendants.
If a flight attendant says something like don’t you understand you’re not special — the attendant is too far gone. You can’t retrain somebody like that. They’re fundamentally different (shitty human) and should be insta-canned. They should be working as Amazon DSP drivers who have to pee in bottles.
OMG LMAO , The stupidity of these posters and Gary followers … America we’re doomed.
I keep my mask on when inflight, when I get in the airport I pull my mask under my nose, it is very oxygen restrictive and makes it very difficult for me to breathe. Then again I have panic and anxiety disorder so hyperventilating comes as quick as the klonopin takes it away. The mask restricts the oxygen needed for our bodies and replaces it with Poisonous Carbon Dioxide, this is scientifically proven and a FACT. However, I comply with the airlines simply because I’m extremely impartial to them as my life changed to due employment with the largest airline in the United States. So I will wear the mask while inflight, because of the positive financial life change that’s allowed my family to prosper. The Feds mandated this rule if you don’t like it don’t fly, or drive. But we all have to at least keep the mask on while on that airplane!! And trust me I am a NONMASK wearer, and believe wearing a mask actually makes it 300% worse and more at risk to get the Covid. Stop fighting the Feds, take it to the federal supreme courts, it’s not the airlines it’s your government you trust so much.
Are there horrible flight attendants who shouldn’t have a customer-facing job? Definitely, and customers should complain to the airlines about them and they should be fired.
But – the first duty of a flight attendant is to keep passengers and crew safe, not to be a sky wait person. If a complaining passenger – and I’m not talking about the woman who innocently asked for connecting gate information, I’m talking about someone truly obstreperous – makes a scene, it truly could escalate into a dangerous situation and merits reporting to Corporate Security and local law enforcement.
I don’t know if involving the FBI is the best idea, but please give the good flight attendants a chance. And yes, there are some.
@Tim
What about you? You’re on here everyday. So, why don’t you go away or shut the f**k up!!!!!
@Jackson Waterson
If your unhappy with things why don’t you move to Europe and join your ancestors?
We have enough right wing fools in this country. Bitching and moaning is all you do.
Just so you know the word “These” is not a pronoun. Maybe you can learn how to write
English correctly over there!
@Rog What’s the matter…..truth hurt a bit too much for you there little snowflake? What have you added to this conversation other than to sit around and do exactly what you are accusing those making substantive posts ….useless bitching and moaning. Do the rest of us a favor….if you have nothing constructive to add just sit there and stew in your own bile, take your own advice and “shut the f**k up!!!!!”
@Ryan Waldron @Doug
Amen brothers!!!! You preach that because it’s all TRUE!!
Those Mask Nazis need to be taken down!!!!! I’m a Flight Attendant, but I PROMISE YOU, I am NOT one of those Mask Nazis!!! There are studies that PROVE Mask wearing is dangerous to your health. 7 minutes after putting a mask on, you are installing 25,000 parts per million of carbon dioxide IN JUST 7 MINUTES! The maximum suggested carbon dioxide to be inhaled by an adult (over 8 hours) is 10,000 parts per million. Is everybody doing the math here? WEARING MASKS IS DETRAMENTAL TO YOUR HEALTH!!!!