Duct-Taped American Airlines Passenger Faces Record Fine

A three-year-old case has resurfaced where a disruptive passenger onboard an American Airlines flight was gagged and duct-taped to her seat for causing a commotion onboard. At the time, she was charged with a record fine by the FAA, but now she is being sued for failing to pay the fine.

The incident

In 2021, an American woman flying with American Airlines from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) had alcoholic drinks onboard, which caused her to act out dangerously. According to NDTV, the passenger was reported to have assaulted her fellow passengers, ran up the aisle of the aircraft, and attempted to open the exit at the front of the aircraft.

This resulted in the cabin crew and fellow passengers restraining the inebriated passenger to her seat with duct tape, cuffs, and a gag. Despite this, the passenger still continued to be aggressive and tried to bite and headbutt other passengers and crew members.

The report states that upon landing at CLT, the passenger was required to be sedated before she could be removed from the aircraft.

A record fine

Air safety is a serious matter, and because of the disruptions caused and for putting the flight at risk, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a record fine of $81,950. This is the highest fine ever to be imposed by the FAA for a disruptive passenger.

The details of the fine are as follows:

Though this event occurred three years ago, since the passenger has failed to pay the fine, the FAA has now taken legal action by launching a lawsuit against the passenger in order to collect the fine.

Photo: Chad Robertson Media | Shutterstock

Despite the chaos caused onboard the flight, reports from the Independent suggest that a criminal charge was never filed against the passenger, and only an inflight violation was ever recorded.

Incidents recorded still high

Data collected by the FAA shows that the number of incidents regarding unruly passengers hit a record high in 2021 when nearly six thousand incidents were reported, which is when the FAA adopted a zero-tolerance policy against unruly passenger behavior.

Since then, the number of incidents has reduced but remains high, with 2,455 incidents recorded in 2022, 2075 incidents recorded in 2023, and 885 incidents recorded in the first half of 2024. In 2023 alone, the FAA initiated 512 investigations against reports of unruly passengers and issued fines totaling a staggering $7.5 million. A further 402 enforcement actions were initiated by the authorities.

Photo: Framalicious | Shutterstock

The FAA further states that passengers reported being unruly onboard can face fines up to $37,000 per violation, jail time and even future travel restrictions.

Have you ever had unruly passengers onboard a flight? Let us know in the comments below!