US: Fight and flight: TSA to resume self-defense classes for airline crews

The TSA will once again offer self-defense classes to flight attendants and pilots as the airline industry deals with a surge in cases of unruly passengers and sometimes violent behavior on flights. The return of the classes comes after the coronavirus pandemic prevented crew members from receiving the training for more than a year. The FAA has documented more than 3,000 reports of unruly passengers on flights so far this year, and 2,350 of those cases have been tied to mask-wearing disputes. It has initiated investigations into 487 of those cases, more than triple the 146 cases that were investigated in all of 2019. “With unruly passenger incidents on the rise, TSA remains committed to equip flight crews with another tool to keep our skies safe,” the agency said. The training is designed to help crew members handle tense and violent situations with passengers. Crew members learn how to “identify and deter potential threats, and if needed, apply the self-defense techniques against attackers,” the agency said.<br/>