by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:12 AM ET, Thu May 27, 2021
The United States Department of Homeland Security has issued a strong warning to travelers about being disruptive or unruly on flights ahead of the busy Memorial Day holiday travel period.
According to the Seattle Times, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would not tolerate passengers who refuse to wear masks in airports or planes.
Both agencies have the authority to fine passengers who violate the mandatory facial coverings law, and travelers who commit crimes such as assaulting a flight attendant will face federal criminal charges.
"Let me be clear in underscoring something," Mayorkas said at a press conference. "It is a federal mandate that one must wear a mask in an airport, in the modes of public transportation, on the airplane itself - and we will not tolerate behavior that violates the law."
TSA officials scanned an average of 1.6 million people per day over the last week, which is down from 2019 volume, but still up considerably from mid-pandemic totals. Despite the lower number of passengers, federal agencies have received over 2,500 reports of unruly travelers.
The FAA revealed around 1,900 of the incidents involved violations of the mask requirement.
Earlier this week, a vicious assault on a Southwest Airlines flight attendant sparked a union president to send a letter of concern over unruly passengers to CEO Gary Kelly. The attack left the crew member missing two teeth and covered in blood.
To combat the rise in onboard incidents, the FAA announced it would levy fines for airline passengers who disrupted flights or interfered with crew members.
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