FAA Will Remove TSA PreCheck From Unruly Passengers

The Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration said that they will remove TSA PreCheck privileges from unruly passengers.

The Wall Street Journal explained:

The FAA will provide the TSA with information about passengers who face fines for bad behavior, and those passengers could be removed from PreCheck eligibility under a new information-sharing partnership between the two agencies. The agreement is the government’s latest effort to get a grip on a problem that has vexed airlines and regulators all year.

While it is unclear how many offenders use PreCheck, a trusted-traveler program that allows fliers to avoid certain security-screening nuisances and wait in shorter lines, officials are hoping the additional consequence will have an impact.

“TSA has zero tolerance for the unruly behaviors, especially those involving physical assault occurring aboard aircraft. We have tremendous respect for airport staff, gate agents and flight crews that get people safely to their destinations,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a statement. “This partnership with FAA will help ensure the safety and security of all passengers and hold those who violate federal regulations accountable for their actions.”

“If you act out of line, you will wait in line,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson added. “Our partnership aims to promote safe and responsible passenger behavior. One unruly incident is one too many.” 

Indeed, the surge in violent behavior in airports has plagued federal regulators for much of this year. In the first five months of 2021, the FAA recorded 394 potential violent incidents; meanwhile, there were 146 and 183 incidents in all of 2019 and 2020, respectively.

The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh previously discussed the unruly behavior on his show.

“In general, flying is a high-stress situation in a claustrophobic environment already. Any additional annoyances or discomforts added — like having to wear a muzzle on your face the whole time — will only increase the likelihood of confrontations,” said Walsh. “So that must account for some of the rise in dangerous behavior on flights, but it probably doesn’t account for all of it.”

Amid the controversy over masking on commercial flights, The Daily Wire exclusively reported that Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) was photographed without a mask on a flight heading from Washington’s Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles.

“Maxine had her mask off for at least an hour while she read her paper and took a nap,” a source told The Daily Wire. “Attendants brought her fresh coffee while she was napping and didn’t say a thing as three of them walked past and saw Maxine reading and then sleeping while she remained maskless.”

Meanwhile, American Airlines CEO Doug Parker and Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly told members of the Senate last week that masks do not offer significant protection to passengers in comparison to planes’ high-grade HEPA filters. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) was reportedly “shocked” by the executives’ comments, stating that it is “immoral” to “allow unvaccinated people on planes.” Two days after the hearing, Southwest Airlines confirmed Kelly had tested positive for COVID-19.

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