As travel tensions rise, unruly fliers could lose their TSA PreCheck

Though travel has largely resumed despite the ongoing pandemic, there are a number of rules in place for those who wish to board a plane — including, chiefly, the need to wear a mask. This simple requirement has resulted in a number of altercations, including some mid-flight, and now the TSA is warning such behaviors will come with additional consequences.

In a statement issued on December 21, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said that “bad behavior” may cost travelers their TSA PreCheck status, meaning they’ll have to spend more time in lines to go through security checkpoints before boarding their planes. This change is made possible by a new partnership between the FAA and TSA.

“Unruly behavior,” as the TSA calls it, results in a number of potential penalties issued by the FAA, including fines. Going forward, the FAA says it’ll share info with the TSA about these passengers for the agency to review. This could lead to the passengers being stripped of their TSA PreCheck privilege.

The entire point of TSA PreCheck, which requires passengers to complete a number of requirements, is to allow low-risk travelers to get through security checkpoints faster. This optional credential is typically used by professionals and others who find themselves traveling by plane on a regular basis — and losing the status could mean substantial hassle going forward.

Putting the matter in simple terms, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said, “If you act out of line, you’ll wait in line.” On the flip side, the TSA will also share information it has about unruly passengers with the FAA, increasing the odds that such behaviors will lead to penalties.

Though masks remain a point of contention for some travelers, bad behavior at airports has been reported for other reasons, as well. Miami International Airport CEO and Director Ralph Cutie recently issued a statement following reports of a fight that broke out in the airport this week, stating that airports in the US are seeing “a record-high increase nationwide in bad behavior” among passengers (via NBC Chicago).

Losing one’s TSA PreCheck eligibility and getting a fine aren’t the only potential consequences for acting out in an airport or during a flight. According to the FAA, such actions may also lead to being arrested, imprisoned, and banned from flying.

The aviation authority published an updated list of proposed “unruly behavior” penalties back in August, describing a variety of actions that got travelers in hot water and the kinds of fines they face as a result (via FAA). One example included by the agency is a proposed $45,000 fine for a JetBlue Airways passenger who is accused of multiple actions, including throwing objects at passengers and grabbing a flight attendant, eventually forcing an emergency landing.

Other bad behaviors listed by the agency include allegations that a passenger threatened to kill another passenger, refusal to wear face masks, interfering with crewmembers, unauthorized consumption of alcohol, yelling, vaping, hitting, shoving, throwing corn nuts, refusing to exit the bathroom, and more.