WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – An effort to create a federal no-fly list is getting pushback from some lawmakers. While advocates argue it could prevent violent and hateful behavior from travelers, others say the effort goes too far.
Instances of unruly behavior from airline passengers has become more and more common. The Federal Aviation Association released new numbers this week revealing nearly 6,000 reports of unruly passengers. A majority were mask-related incidents.
Airline Captain Dennis Tajer with Allied Pilots Association says it is a dangerous trend.
“Anything that takes my attention away from the aircraft, no matter what phase of flight, is immediately putting everyone at risk,” Tajer said.
Now some airlines and unions are asking the Department of Justice to create a federal no-fly list.
Republican senators, like John Cornyn of Texas, are pushing back.
“The no-fly list is really designed to keep terrorists off of airplanes, not unruly Americans,” Cornyn said.
A group of other Republican senators sent a letter to the attorney general this week, saying it’s wrong to equate people resisting mask mandates to terrorists.
Those against the effort also point out that airlines already have the power to ban customers on their own.
“At American Airlines if someone is on a no-fly list they’ll just go book at United or Delta and vice versa,” Tajer said.
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri insists the government shouldn’t get involved.
“This administration has a history of anybody whose speech they don’t like, anybody who disagrees with – they call a terrorist, they call an insurrectionist, they try to use the force of the government against them,” Hawley said.
Captain Tajer says he doesn’t know if a federal list is the answer, but addressing the bad behavior is essential for safer skies.
“As the saying goes, ‘Houston we have a problem.’ And that problem is some folks on the airplane are making it a problem for all of us, and that can’t happen on the airplane,” Tajer said.
