Videos of belligerent passengers at airports — some donning pro-Trump outfits — being forced off planes or denied boarding are circulating widely on social media, with many users describing the scenes as airport officials informing people that participated in the Capitol riot that they're on a no-fly list. But that's not necessarily the case. Though at least one member of Congress and airline worker unions have called for known riot participants to be put on the FBI-managed no-fly list, which is designed to prevent known and suspected terrorists from getting airline tickets, it's not clear if that step has been taken. The FBI did not respond to a request for comment. Federal officials and DC police are still working to identify and track down many of the rioters, though at least 20 federal criminal defendants have been arrested across the country. When a person is put on the federal no-fly list, they would be stopped or undergo additional screening before going through a TSA checkpoint, according to the TSA. That means the widely circulated footage of angry travelers being forced off of planes or screaming in a terminal likely aren't reacting to news that they've suddenly been put on the federal government's no-fly list, according to the TSA. Rather, they're more likely to be depictions of a well-known issue that has been plaguing airlines for months: Flight attendants and airline workers being forced to handle situations in which angry passengers refuse to comply with Covid-19-related safety policies. Though airline CEOs have said the vast majority of passengers comply with the rules, anti-mask wearers vocally refusing to wear protective gear have disrupted flights in several high-profile cases. Last year, airlines warned passengers that they can enforce their own no-fly lists intended to ban disorderly customers from flying in the future. Hundreds of passengers are currently on those lists.<br/>
general
Two senior House Democrats urged the FAA on Monday to take steps to prevent the use of aircraft to transport people intent on violently disrupting the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. Hours after the letter was sent, Southwest said 95 passengers and six crew members had been evacuated from a flight into Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport from Phoenix after crew identified a written threat upon arrival earlier this evening. Southwest did not provide details on the note or the threat and said no arrests have been reported. Representative Peter DeFazio, who chairs the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Representative Rick Larsen who oversees an aviation subcommittee, urged FAA Administrator Steve Dickson in a letter first reported by Reuters “to limit the chance that the nation’s commercial airline system could be used as a means of mass transportation to Washington, DC, for further violence in connection with the inauguration” on Jan. 20 and to “prevent civil unrest from jeopardizing aviation safety and leading to injury or worse during flight.” “We respectfully urge the FAA and the aviation community to think creatively on what authorities or additional measures will reduce the possibility of unruly and disruptive behavior on aircraft over the next nine days as well as that of insurrectionists exploiting the freedom to fly to carry out nefarious schemes against democracy,” the letter said. The FAA said it would respond directly to the lawmakers.<br/>
A new Department of Transportation regulation goes into effect Monday that says airlines aren't required to treat emotional support animals as service animals. The DOT rule, announced last month, defines a service animal as a dog "trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability." Delta, United, Alaska, JetBlue and American Airlines are among US carriers that will no longer allow emotional support animals. The animals are prescribed by mental health professionals to provide comfort and support, but unlike service animals, emotional support animals are not required to have training in specific tasks. Delta will honor reservations involving emotional support animals confirmed prior to January 11, 2021, but the airline will not accept any new reservations for such animals. United will continue to accept the animals for reservations booked before January 11, 2021, for travel on or before February 28, 2021. Alaska Airlines is also using this date range in phasing out transporting emotional support animals. JetBlue confirmed that it will no longer accept new bookings for emotional support animals after January 11, 2021. The airline will allow existing itineraries involving the animals to proceed through the end of February, if "all required and appropriate documentation was submitted as requested of those customers by December 20, 2020," the airline said in a statement. American Airlines says existing bookings for emotional support animals will be honored only through the end of January. Animals that previously traveled as emotional support animals may travel as carry-on or cargo pets, American Airlines said. Southwest has not changed its emotional support animals policy, but said that it will announce any policy changes and a timeline for those changes this year. Airlines may require passengers traveling with service animals, now limited to dogs by the DOT definition, to submit a DOT form in advance of traveling detailing a service animal's health, behavior and training.<br/>
Britain’s busiest airport said on Monday that it saw passenger numbers slump 73% during 2020, as COVID-19 restrictions all but shut down the travel industry. For December alone, passenger numbers at Heathrow plummeted 83% as fear about the new strain of COVID-19 meant countries shut their borders to the UK. Alongside this, millions of people were forced to cancel Christmas travel. The approval of the first vaccines in November was perceived to be a turning point for the industry, but the complication of new, more transmittable strains of the virus has lead to further groundings. At one point following the news more than 50 countries had closed their borders to the UK for fear of spreading it. The airport also said that its annual cargo volumes fell 28% as fewer passenger planes meant there was less space available for goods. Figures from November show the IATA expects a net loss of $118.5b for the industry in 2020. Airlines are expected to lose another $38.7b in 2021.<br/>
A majority of European citizens intend to fly less and already eat less meat to help fight climate change, according to a survey published by the European Investment Bank (EIB) on Monday. Of 27,700 survey respondents in the EU’s 27 countries, 74% of respondents said they intended to fly less frequently for environmental reasons, once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. That included 43% of respondents who said they would do this “all the time” and 31% who said they would “from time to time”. Europe’s aviation sector is under scrutiny from customers and regulators over its carbon footprint, at the same time that airlines battle a slump in demand due to the pandemic. Asked if they planned to choose trains over planes for short-haul trips, 71% of respondents in the EIB survey said they do. In the poll, conducted in October-November 2020, 66% of Europeans said they already eat less meat to fight climate change and a further 13% said they planned to do so soon. COVID-19 lockdowns meant global CO2 emissions dropped in 2020 compared with recent years, but it still ranked as the joint-hottest on record - underscoring the need for faster action to slash emissions to avoid locking in catastrophic future warming. The EU is drafting a major package of new policies to curb pollution, including measures such as renovating buildings to use less energy, forcing carmakers to meet tougher emissions standards and levying higher carbon costs on factories.<br/>