Travel at Your Own Risk!
Sure, I’m talking about Covid-19, but I’m really talking about the violence happening in air travel. What has happened to respect, caring and love for others, especially those whose job it is to serve us. Unruly passengers have become the norm in air travel. According to the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, there have been more than 5,000 disruptive passenger reports sent to the Federal Aviation Administration since the beginning of this year! That’s more disruptions in 2021 that the entire 31-year history of recording such behaviors and the year is not over yet!
The FAA shows that more than 70% of the incidents on planes this year are over masks. There is a mask mandate from the moment you walk into any airport until you leave the airport at your destination. It is a federal requirement since February of this year. The industry of air travel has an entire set of rules to keep everyone safe during their journey. We have to follow the rules or not fly-it’s as simple as that! Rules are in place for a reason. Some folks may not be able to get vaccinated, so wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer and social distancing can help to keep everyone safe.
The disruptions are making it hard for flight attendants to do their jobs. They are a threat to the crew and to you as a passenger. We’ve seen the videos of innocent passengers getting hurt in the chaos by flying fists and other objects. The bad behavior also potentially poses a threat because it distracts everyone, especially the flight crew from recognizing potential terrorism threats.
I’ve been on a flight where a passenger had too much to drink and caused the flight to be diverted to another airport- think about how many folks missed their connecting flights. What an inconvenience! We all watched while the air marshal took the guy off in handcuffs with his crying children and embarrassed wife trailing behind him with their heads hung low. If the bad behavior starts before the flight takes off, the flight will not take off until the issue is settled, but if in the air, your flight can be diverted.
Wearing masks have been made a hot trigger point for many because of the leading of political leaders, but it is what is is-wear a mask or you can’t get through the airport much less an airplane. The rules have changed and we’re all in this together-right? Let’s behave like it!
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