2 Senators Push Crackdown on Unruly Air Passengers

Unruly airline passengers could face a one-year ban on flying under a proposal offered Wednesday by two lawmakers.

Sens. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) also proposed increasing the civil penalty for interfering with a flight crew, from $1,100 to $25,000, and deputizing local law enforcement officials so they can arrest an unruly passenger when a plane is diverted, instead of further inconveniencing passengers by waiting for a federal officer.

The people who most often encounter unruly passengers--flight attendants--cheered the proposal.

“It’s apparent that the current penalty is not a sufficient deterrent because the number of incidents has increased in spite of some fairly high-profile cases where the maximum penalty has been applied,” said Patricia Friend, president of the Assn. of Flight Attendants. The group represents 43,000 flight attendants at 27 airlines.

In 1994, the government received reports of 296 unruly passengers; the number increased to 921 by 1997. In 1996, the Federal Aviation Administration imposed civil penalties against 121 unruly passengers; in 1997, the number increased to 195.

Under current criminal law, passengers face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $10,000 for interfering with a flight crew. They can be imprisoned for life if they use a weapon. Civil penalties are far less, however.

Noting the increased number of reports, Reid said more serious action is needed.