Attacks on Flight Crew Down by More than Half, Figures Show

Atlanta, GA (WorkersCompensation.com) -- Although attacks on flight attendants and other flight crew members are down this year, attacks are still happening and still uncalled for, officials said. 

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as of Nov. 1, 2022, there had been 2,178 reports of unruly passengers aboard flights, resulting in 767 investigations and the initiation of 517 enforcement cases. Those numbers don't include incidents over the Thanksgiving weekend where two flights were diverted because of unruly passengers. 

In comparison, for 2021, the FAA reported 5,981 unruly passenger reports that resulted in 1,113 investigations and the initiation of 350 enforcement actions. Over the course of the year, the FAA proposed more than $5 million in fines against unruly passengers. 

Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO, said the attacks endanger more than just the flight attendants. 

"Violence has no place anywhere and certainly not in a closed cabin flying several miles in the air," Nelson said in a statement. "Aviation's first responders are charged with the safety of everyone onboard. When disruptions like this happen, it not only risks the safety of the crew involved, it takes away from Flight Attendants' ability to respond to a medical, safety, or security emergency. Bottom line - it puts everyone at risk and there’s zero tolerance for that." 

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, two flights were diverted because of unruly passengers, flight officials said. 

On Nov. 12, Frontier Airlines Flight 1761 out of Cincinnati Northern Kentucky Airport en route to Tampa was diverted to Atlanta after passengers said another passenger next to them had a box cutter and was threatening to stab other passengers. According to WLWT, the man was taken off the airplane and arrested. No one was injured in the incident. 

On Nov. 13, an unruly passenger aboard United Flight 476 out of San Francisco landed in Chicago after an incident sent two passengers and one flight attendant to the hospital. 

United Airlines officials said a passenger became "disruptive" and was removed by law enforcement upon landing. Multiple videos shared by passengers on social media show a woman holding a child in the middle of the plane's aisle shouting "Where is it?" and "F*** off!" at four flight attendants. Witnesses said the woman insisted that her toddler needed to throw up. Crew members asked the woman to get back in her seat while the plane landed. Instead the woman pushed herself into a flight attendant. 

Officials said a total of three people, two passengers - one of whom was allegedly three years old - and a flight attendant, on the flight were taken to Resurrection Hospital "for observation," and that no criminal charges were filed. 

"One member of the flight attendant crew was taken to a hospital for evaluation," United said in a statement. "We're grateful to our crew for handling this difficult situation with professionalism and for putting the safety of our team and our customers first." 

The incident is under investigation by the FBI and the FAA. 

Nelson said there should be zero tolerance for these types of incidents. 

"Aviation's first responders are charged with the safety of everyone on board," she said. "When disruptions like this happen, it not only risks the safety of crew involved, it takes away from Flight Attendants' ability to respond to a medical, safety, or security emergency."

While incidents are down, irate passengers are still injuring flight attendants. 

In September 2022, an American Airlines passenger hit a flight attendant over a bathroom dispute. 

The incident happened on American Airlines Flight 377 from San José del Cabo, Mexico, to Los Angeles International Airport on September 21. According to the airline, a disagreement broke out between the passenger and the airline staff when the passenger became upset that he couldn't use the first-class bathroom. 

Video of the incident posted to Twitter shows Alex Tun Cuu Le, 33, of Westminster, Cal., arguing back and forth with a flight attendant. When the flight attendant backs away from Cuu Le and then turns to walk away, Cuu Le runs up and hits the flight attendant in the back of the neck. 

Passenger reacted to Cuu Le's actions as he walked back to his seat by restraining him until the plane landed and handing him over to authorities. Cuu Le was charged with interference with flight crew members and attendants. If found guilty, Cuu Le faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. 

The flight attendant who was struck continued the rest of the flight with ice on his head in the back of the galley, officials said, and was transported to a hospital once the plane landed. Another flight attendant was "shaking so much that she had difficulty performing her duties," officials said in a affidavit. 

American Airlines denounced Cuu Le's violent actions. 

"Acts of violence against our team members are not tolerated by American Airlines," the airline said in a statement. "The individual involved in this incident will never be allowed to travel with us in the future, and we will work closely with law enforcement in their investigation." 

Cuu Le's placement on American Airlines "no fly" list will only apply to that airline however. Since 2021, officials with some airlines and flight attendant unions have asked for a universal "no fly" list. So far, no such universal "no fly" list exists.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) also condemned Cuu Le's attack. 

"This violent behavior puts the safety of all passengers and crew in jeopardy and must stop," said Julie Hedrick, national president of APFA, in a statement. "APFA fully supports the affected crew members, and will do all possible to ensure that the passenger faces prosecution to the fullest extent of the law."

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