4.07.22 – American Airlines Flight Attendant Union Supports The Protection From Abusive Passengers Act

Thursday, April 7, 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Paul Hartshorn, Jr.
[email protected]

American Airlines Flight Attendant Union Supports the Protection from Abusive Passengers Act, Calling it Long Overdue

(Euless, TX) – The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), representing over 24,000 Flight Attendants at American Airlines, is proud to support the bicameral Protection from Abusive Passengers Act introduced by Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Representative Swalwell (D-CA). APFA has been calling for a federal “no-fly” list since the uptick in disruptive and abusive passenger incidents began over a year ago. We have been punched, pushed, shoved, harassed, and disrespected for doing our job. This type of behavior is out of control and has no place on an airplane. A federal “no-fly” list for convicted individuals is common sense and frankly a long overdue protection for Flight Attendants and aviation workers at every airline.“Flight Attendants continue to face physical and verbal abuse, and we cannot sit by and allow these offenders to commit these dangerous acts from airline to airline. This behavior must stop. There must be severe consequences for injuring Flight Attendants. We need the accountability of a federal “no-fly” list to protect all crewmembers and passengers across the industry. I urge Congress in the strongest possible terms to quickly pass this bill and make it law,” said APFA National President Julie Hedrick.

The bill would bar from commercial flights any individual who has been convicted or fined for assaulting, intimidating, or threatening members of an aircraft crew, including pilots and flight attendants, or airport security personnel. Under the bill, the TSA would create and manage a list of these individuals, who would be barred from flying until reinstated. The bill would also permanently ban abusive passengers from participating in the TSA Precheck or Customs’ Global Entry programs.

The bill also requires the TSA to establish guidelines and considerations for removing an individual from a banned fliers list based on the gravity of the offense and a process for a person included on the list of banned fliers to petition to be removed from the list.