Delta Air Lines wants help from the Justice Department to put unruly passengers on a national “no fly” list. The airlines has faced several disruptions and wants to avoid flying passengers who indulge in such behavior. It is believed that some of these passengers just keep changing the airlines they fly rather than changing their behavior, which continues to cause disruptions. A letter that was sent to the Department of Justice was obtained by the Associated Press.
On Thursday, CEO Ed Bastian wrote a letter to Merrick Garland, the Attorney General of the Justice Department. The letter stated that there should be “zero tolerance” for behavior of passengers that affects flight safety. He added that although the incidents may be a small fraction when compared to the number of flights by the airline, there has been a 100 percent increase in such behavior, since 2019.
The CEO of Delta Air Lines believed that a national “no fly” list would help prevent future incidents. It would also act as a deterrent as passengers would be aware that there would be consequences if they didn’t comply with “crew member instructions on commercial aircrafts.”
Last year regulators received 5,981 reports of unruly travelers. Although most incidents were related to disputes over masks, there were other incidents as well. The Atlanta based airlines said that almost 1,900 people refused to comply with requirements to wear masks when they flew on Delta aircraft. They sent a list of over 900 banned names to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), for civil penalties.
Delta, along with Airlines for America, wants strong reporting as well as prosecution for travelers who interfere with safety onboard. Last December, the TSA and FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) announced a new partnership. The TSA would get information about passengers who face fines from the FAA. The TSA could then stop these passengers from boarding a flight during its pre-check screening.
There has been no response from the Justice Department, when asked for comment.
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