FAA orders “zero tolerance” for disruptive air passengers

Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Steve Dickson has ordered the agency to take a “zero tolerance policy” against passengers disrupting airline operations, citing “a disturbing increase in these incidents” and promising that the FAA “will no longer adjudicate certain of these unruly passenger cases with counseling or warnings” but will “go straight to enforcement.” The policy will remain in effect until Mar. 30. Airlines for America expressed support for the measure, saying “The safety and security of passengers and employees is the top priority of the US airline industry, and we welcome the FAA’s order to implement a more stringent policy regarding unruly passenger behavior.”