FAA Fines Woman $27,500 For Hitting Flight Attendant

A woman who belted a Delta flight attendant in defense of her anti-mask, anti-seatbelt male traveling companion is finding out just how tough the FAA’s new passenger behavior crackdown can be. The FAA announced on Friday it’s proposing a $27,500 civil penalty against the woman, who went after the FA on a plane that should have been on its way from Miami to Atlanta last Oct. 19. The woman has 30 days to fight the fine. “The FAA is strictly enforcing a zero-tolerance policy toward passengers who cause disturbances on flights or fail to obey flight crew instructions in violation of the FAA’s regulations or engage in conduct proscribed by federal law,” the agency said in a news release.

The aircraft was taxiing and the woman’s traveling companion refused to put a mask on, wouldn’t stow his tray table and declined to fasten his seatbelt. The crew headed back to the gate to unload the uncooperative passenger and his companion and after they set the chocks the woman came unglued, according to the news release. “The passenger accompanying the non-compliant traveler ignored the flight attendant’s instructions, began yelling expletives at the flight attendant and other passengers, and struck the flight attendant under her left eye.”