FBI receives 43 cases of “unruly passengers”

NATIONWIDE – As the number of incidents involving unchecked airline passengers increases, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has referred more of these cases to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for criminal review over the past year. the FAA announced on Wednesday, August 21. The Federal Aviation Administration has referred 43 additional cases of unruly passengers in the past year; and since 2021, more than 310 of the most serious cases to the FBI as part of a partnership designed to ensure these individuals are prosecuted when necessary. The most common cases involved inappropriate sexual or violent physical contact with flight attendants or other passengers, including minors. In other cases, a passenger assaulted their own travel companion, threatened other passengers and flight crew, attempted to enter the cockpit, and threatened to open emergency exit doors. Once an incident is referred to the FBI, the agency works closely with law enforcement partners and appropriate agencies to conduct an investigation when appropriate. The FBI has also a section on “Crimes on board aircraft” on their website with information about the types of crimes investigated and how to report them.

Although the number of incidents involving improper passenger conduct has dropped by over 80% since the record high in early 2021, when nearly six thousand cases were reported, unacceptable behavior has not disappeared. In 2024 alone, airlines still have more than 1,240 reported cases of improper passenger conduct. Travelers who engage in improper conduct risk losing TSA Pre-Check status and other airline benefits.

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