FAA Seeking to Levy Largest Civil Fines Ever

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had made it a priority to use heavy financial penalties as a deterrent against unruly passengers.

Now the government agency is proposing its biggest fines ever.

The FAA said Friday it is seeking nearly $160,000 in penalties against just two passengers who disrupted flights last year that devolved into physical incidents – a record amount for just two passengers, according to National Public Radio.

In the first incident, the FAA is proposing a penalty of $81,950 for a passenger who hit an American Airlines flight attendant on the head, headbutted another crew member, spit at a crew member, tried to kick crew members and passengers, and tried to open the cabin door. The woman was eventually restrained and placed in handcuffs.

The second incident the FAA is looking also involves a woman who tried to open a cabin door, this time on a Delta Air Lines flight. She also bit another passenger before she was restrained. The FAA is proposing a $77,272 fine.

It’s just one of the reasons why Delta CEO Ed Bastian has been pushing heavily for a national no-fly list for unruly passengers, which he believes will serve as an ultimate deterrent to onboard incidents.

The FAA said it has proposed almost $2 million in proposed fines since the beginning of the year.