By DAVID KOENIG (AP Airlines Writer)
U.S. Senate and House members proposed a brand new no-fly record for unruly passengers on Wednesday, an concept that was pushed by airline unions however failed to realize traction final yr.
The laws would let the Transportation Security Administration ban folks convicted or fined for assaulting or interfering with airline crew members.
It could be separate from the present FBI-run no-fly record, which is meant to forestall folks suspected of terrorism ties from boarding planes.
The variety of incidents involving unruly passengers dropped sharply final yr after a decide struck down a federal requirement to put on masks on planes. However, incidents critical sufficient to be investigated by federal officers remained greater than 5 instances greater than earlier than the pandemic.
“The violent incidents have not stopped,” stated Cher Taylor, a Frontier Airlines flight attendant who stated she witnessed a passenger assault one other in 2021 in Miami and stroll away earlier than police arrived. At a information convention outdoors the Capitol Taylor stated “Strong penalties are needed to curb violent and unacceptable behavior. Bad behavior should not fly.”
Civil libertarians vowed to oppose the measure. They say the FBI no-fly record shouldn’t be clear and unfairly targets folks of colour, and that the brand new record would have the identical issues. They additionally say that the Federal Aviation Administration is cracking down on dangerous habits, and that studies of unruly passengers are declining.
“If Congress wants to further reduce air-rage incidents on aircraft, it should look at forcing the airlines to make flying a less miserable experience,” stated Jay Stanley, a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union.
The new measure was launched by Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Reps. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn.
The lawmakers stated the invoice consists of pointers for notifying folks that they’re being positioned on the record, and enchantment. The invoice would let TSA resolve how lengthy an individual could be banned from flying on business planes.
Similar laws did not get a listening to in Congress final yr. Supporters hope their possibilities have improved due to high-profile incidents like that involving a passenger who stabbed at a flight attendant with a broken-off spoon this month.
Individual airways preserve lists of passengers they’ve banned however resist sharing names with different airways, partly out of worry they might violate legal guidelines towards cooperation amongst competing carriers.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”