Delta’s CEO has reportedly asked the federal government to place unruly passengers on the no-fly list.
NBC News reports that Delta CEO Ed Bastian wrote a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland that says federal action is needed to deal with the rise in unruly passengers.
According to the FAA, reports of unruly passengers dramatically increased during the pandemic. In 2021, there were nearly 6,000 reports of unruly passengers.
According to NBC News, Bastian has asked Garland to ban people from traveling on commercial flights if they are convicted of “an on-board disruption.”
Reuters and NBC News report that the Justice Department has not commented on the request.
In January 2021, the FAA instituted a zero-tolerance policy for unruly passengers. The cases are no longer met with warning or counseling, according to the FAA.
“The agency will pursue legal enforcement action against any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates, or interferes with airline crew members,” the FAA states.
