President says TSA will double fines against airline passengers who refuse masks

President Joe Biden said passengers who refuse to wear face masks on airplanes and at airports will face higher fines, which are part of a number of broader mandates to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starting Friday, the Department of Homeland Security will fine passengers for first offenses with fines between $ 500 and $ 1,000, and repeat offenders will face fines between $ 1,000 and $ 3,000.

The Biden administration made masking requirements on airplanes, interstate buses and at airports one of the new president’s first orders after the inauguration in January. Since then, the White House has extended the mask requirement twice and passengers must wear masks on airplanes until at least January 18, 2022. Airlines have been requiring masks to be worn on flights since the beginning of last summer.

“Show some respect, by the way,” said Biden on Thursday at a press conference. “The behavior towards flight attendants and gate agents is wrong, it’s ugly.”

The announcement of harsher fines came on the same day that Biden announced sweeping requirements for companies with 100+ employees to ensure that all workers, as well as all federal employees, contractors and hospitals that draw on government funds, are vaccinated.

Despite the problems caused on board, the airlines have backed the federal government’s mask requirement. Perhaps that’s because the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in more than $ 35 billion in losses for U.S. airlines last year, even with more than $ 50 billion in government aid to cover payroll. On Thursday, the four largest airlines in the US all declared that the Delta variant was responsible for weaker ticket sales in recent weeks.

“If you break the rules, be prepared to pay,” said Biden.

But air travel remains one of the most visible arenas for those who refuse to wear masks, with confrontations being revealed on social media almost daily. So far in 2021, the FAA has received more than 4,000 reports of recalcitrant passengers, and more than 3,000 of those reports concern passengers who refuse to adhere to federal masking rules.

In March, the FAA said it would implement a “zero tolerance policy” against rowdy behavior on airplanes, including threats of arrest. But there are still incidents of violence and threats to passengers.

On Saturday, an Alaska Airlines flight from Anchorage to Seattle was diverted to Juneau, Alaska after five passengers refused to wear masks and scolded each other, according to a report by the Alaska State Troopers. Police said five people were arrested.

Flight attendants from American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and others have turned to federal law enforcement for help. Association of Flight Attendants President Sara Nelson said law enforcement should arrest passengers who become recalcitrant during the flight.

“Wearing a mask protects the traveling public and all staff, which makes the travel experience safe and comfortable,” said a statement by Homeland Security Minister Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “We will enforce the mask mandate for as long as is necessary to protect public health and safety.”

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