Travel reached record-breaking heights in 2023 but the influx of travelers meant more unruly incidents.
For most, the friendly skies, calm cruise ships and blissful tourist destinations were just that over the past 12 months. However, some cabins, ships and locales weren't so lucky.
Here's a recap of some of the most notable naughty traveler incidents from the past year.
Tourist Fined After Driving Over Historic Bridge
The year began with a U.S. tourist being fined after driving over the centuries-old Ponte Vecchio, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that spans the narrowest section of the Arno River in Florence, Italy.
The 34-year-old California man was fined more than $540 for driving across the pedestrianized covered bridge in a rented car. The punishment included driving without an international driver's license.
Passenger Busted With Weapons, Forged Marshal ID
In February, the U.S. Department of Justice brought charges against a 42-year-old New Jersey man who passed through a TSA checkpoint at Newark Liberty International Airport with multiple firearms and forged identification documents, including U.S. Marshal credentials and a U.S. Marshal badge.
A crazed passenger aboard a United Airlines flight from L.A. to Boston attempted to open an emergency exit on a plane before attacking a flight attendant with a makeshift knife and threatening to kill everyone onboard. "At one point, the passenger screamed, "I will kill everyone on this plane! It will be a bloodbath."
'Crazy Plane Lady' Goes Viral
Woman's tirade on plane goes viral (Photo Credit: TikTok)
Tiffany Gomes, also known as the "crazy plane lady," was one of the biggest stories to emerge from the busy Fourth of July travel period.
Gomes went viral following a bizarre outburst aboard an Orlando-bound American Airlines flight at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Something on the plane didn't sit right with her and she claimed a fellow passenger was "not real" before leaving the aircraft.
Her meltdown has since become a meme that has been shared throughout social media.
Passenger Climbs Onto Plane's Wing
In November, a man on an Atlanta-bound Southwest Airlines plane in New Orleans made headlines after he opened the emergency door and walked out onto the wing before jumping down onto the tarmac.
The unruly passenger was eventually arrested and taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
Off-Duty Pilot Tries to Crash Plane
One of the year's scariest in-flight incidents didn't involve an unruly passenger but an off-duty pilot who attempted to shut off the engines on an Alaska Airlines flight while suffering an apparent panic attack.
Forty-four-year-old Joseph David Emerson was traveling in the cockpit's flight deck jump seat when he attempted to bring the plane down. He was subsequently charged with one count of endangering aircraft in the first degree and 83 counts of recklessly endangering another person.
Woman Stabs Three People at Atlanta Airport
A woman went on a stabbing spree at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport's south terminal in October. The incident left three people, including a police officer, injured.
The passenger was eventually subdued and arrested though her motive remains a mystery.
The Eiffel Tower (Photo via Hans Brunk)
Man Parachutes From Eiffel Tower
Naughty travelers don't always make their presence felt on airplanes. Over the summer, police in Paris arrested a man who used a parachute to jump off of the Eiffel Tower.
The man landed on the roof of a nearby sports center building before officers took him into custody.
Late Passenger Calls in Bomb Threat
A passenger who was late for his connecting flight at Pittsburgh International Airport and subsequently denied boarding informed gate agents that his luggage contained bombs.
"Responding police officers spoke to the American Airlines gate agents who reported the threat. The agents reported that a male who was standing adjacent to the ticket podium made a threat that his checked baggage contained a bomb," authorities said in a statement. "The threat was made after he was not allowed to board the aircraft due to being late. The threat was heard by two airline workers who each confirmed what the man stated."
The incident resulted in more than 100 passengers being evacuated from the airplane and a large portion of one of the concourses being shut down amid a search.
Passenger Opens Door Mid-Flight
An Asiana Airlines passenger shocked his fellow travelers after he managed to open the door to the aircraft mid-flight, sending whipping winds into the cabin.
The incident, which was captured on video, occurred at an altitude of about 700 feet just a couple of minutes before the plane landed. At least a dozen people suffered minor injuries, mostly due to hyperventilation.
Aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas called the incident "very bizarre" as "technically, it’s not possible to open those doors in flight."
"It seems implausible that the door could be opened in the first place and then against the airstream technically impossible, but somehow or another it has happened," Thomas told CNN.
Cruise Ship Passenger Banned for Life
A Carnival Cruise Line passenger was banned from the line's ships for life after being caught with CBD gummies in her carry-on bag.
The bust happened in August 2023 on a sailing from Miami. Despite being legal in Florida, all major cruise lines, including Carnival prohibit them from coming aboard.
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