The FAA has zero tolerance for unruly passengers who put others aboard an aircraft at risk.
The FAA warns “unsafe behavior can land you in jail with hefty fines”.
The federal district court in Arizona ordered an American Airlines passenger to pay the carrier $38,952 after she pleaded guilty to interfering with a flight crew member.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Arizona, Cayla Farris used profanity and threatened flight crew members while traveling from Phoenix to Hawaii on Feb. 13, 2022. Prosecutors say her behavior prevented flight attendants from carrying out their duties and the captain decided to return to Phoenix.
In addition to the fine, Farris was sentenced to time served of 3.6 months in prison and three years of supervised release. During the release period, she will not be able to fly on a commercial aircraft without prior authorization.
The FAA investigates unruly-passenger incidents that airline crews report to the agency. The data below reflects all cases the FAA investigated that cited violations of one or more FAA regulations or federal laws.