US House Democrats urge FAA to avoid civil unrest on flights

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/>