FAA numbers confirm it -- 2021 was terrible for bad behavior in the skies

Last year was the worst on record for unruly airplane passenger behavior in the United States, according to FAA data. A whopping 5,981 reports of unruly passengers were logged by the FAA as of December 31. Of those, 4,290 -- nearly 72% -- were mask-related incidents. Thursday marks one year since the FAA announced a "zero tolerance" policy for unruly passenger behavior that skips warnings or counseling and goes directly to penalties, which can include heavy fines and jail time. The policy, spurred by incidents tied to masks and violence at the US Capitol, was originally set to expire at the end of March 2021. It was extended at least until the federal mask mandate is lifted.<br/>The unruly passenger incident rate has dropped approximately 50% since record highs in early 2021, the FAA notes on the page where it tracks incidents, "but there remains more work to do." A lot more work, according to flight attendant and union leader Sara Nelson. Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, is painfully aware of what airline crewmembers continue to face. In addition to the "extremely violent" and most "outrageous and egregious" cases that have made headlines during the pandemic, there has been a steady stream of aggression.<br/>