Air Rage Still an Issue for Airlines

Newark, NJ (WorkersCompensation.com) – Unruly passengers are still a danger for flight crews and passengers on air flights across the country.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reported hundreds of new incidents of unruly passengers. Since reaching a high of nearly 6,000 incidents in 2021, the number of unruly passenger incidents has continued to stay high.

“Incidents where airline passengers have disrupted flights with threatening or violent behavior are an ongoing problem and airlines have seen rapid growth in occurrences since 2021. The FAA has a zero-tolerance policy on unruly passenger behavior,” the FAA said.

So far this year, the FAA has recorded nearly 240 incidents. Last year, the FAA reported a total of 2,102, up from 2,072 incidents in 2022. In comparison, in 2017 the FAA only reported 544 unruly passenger incidents. There were only 889 incidents in 2018, 1,161 in 2019 and 1,009 in 2020.

Earlier this month, a Florida couple was accused of assaulting airport employees who would not let them board a flight after they arrived late.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff Office said Rafael Seirafe-Novaes, 40 and Beatriz Rapoport De Campos Maia, 29 were arrested on March 2 for the incident.

Surveillance video at Miami International Airport showed the couple arriving around 8:35 a.m., late for their American Airlines flight to Cancun. The couple then tried to force their way onto the flight. Both suspects ignored signs and verbal commands from ticket agents before pushing their way through staff into the restricted area to board the flight.

Video showed Seirafe-Novaes pushing two victims and Rapoport De Campos Maia pushing the victims and throwing coffee at them. Seirafe-Novaes was eventually arrested and escorted out of the terminal in handcuffs.

"Prior to boarding American Airlines Flight 2494 from Miami (MIA) to Cancún (CUN), law enforcement responded to the gate for two disruptive customers," American Airlines said in a statement. "Acts of violence are not tolerated by American Airlines, and we are committed to working closely with law enforcement in their investigation."

Seirafe-Novaes was charged with resisting an officer without violence and trespassing, while Maia was charged with two counts of battery and trespassing.

The attacks come just a month after an incident in New Jersey.

In February, the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey charged a New Jersey man with threatening flight attendants and crew members, as well as passengers, on a flight from Miami to Newark. According to the complaint, Luis Vaquero made “threats of physical violence against a disabled minor and mocking a group of Jewish passengers.” Officials said he also threatened a flight attendant who refused to serve him more alcohol.

When the plane arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday, officials said, the captain made an announcement that law enforcement would be removing a passenger. At that point, Vaquero left his seat and began banging on the flight deck door and cursing at the captain. When the plane arrived at its gate, the captain came out of the flight deck and Vaquero approached him, screamed at him and threatened him until law enforcement was able to board the plane and escort Vaquero off the plane.

"The defendant is charged with threatening flight crew members and passengers while traveling to Newark," Vikas Khanna, the acting U.S. Attorney, said in a press release. "We are committed to keeping the skies safe for flying and will prosecute those who criminally interfere with the professionals responsible for ensuring passenger safety."

According to the International Air Transport Association, unruly behavior incidents involve non-compliance, verbal abuse and intoxication.

In a 2023 document called “Even safer and more enjoyable air travel for all: A strategy for reducing unruly and disruptive passenger incidents,” the IATA said that while “only a tiny minority” of passengers behave badly, these travelers “have a disproportionate impact.” Incidents can “threaten the safety and security of the aircraft, other passengers, and crew,” the group said, as well as impacting the mental health of crew and passengers.

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