Harassment, threats and physical altercations have become normal parts of a cabin crew’s job this summer, flight attendants say.
In a survey of 5,000 flight attendants from 30 airlines by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA union, 85% said they had dealt with unruly passengers this year, with over half saying they had experienced five or more such incidents and 17% saying they were involved in an incident that got physical.
As travelers have flocked back to airports, incidents of bad behavior have shot up.
The Federal Aviation Administration earlier this year said it would take a more aggressive approach to pursuing punishments, including hefty fines, for passengers who flout safety rules, but the problems have continued.
Since the start of the year, the FAA said it has received 3,615 reports of unruly passengers. The agency has initiated 610 investigations, and levied fines or penalties in 95 incidents.
