CHAPTER 1

Introduction

The growing number and severity of disruptive and unruly behavior incidents impacting commercial airports indicates a need to address this issue. Many periodicals, articles, and regulatory documents discuss the issue and methods to mitigate these incidents, but minimal guidance exists on how airports can manage unruly behavior that significantly impacts airport resources, airport users, and the entire aviation system. Airports and their stakeholders need a guide that summarizes and consolidates the practices in use or planned to be implemented in the aviation industry based on the recommendations of interdisciplinary experts and other industries experiencing the same challenges.

1.1 Topic Background

Many aviation industry groups and regulatory agencies have created different definitions for “unruly” behavior and individuals with wording designed for legal and prosecution purposes. This term often lacks clarity of definition and criteria for data collection and reporting, and it may be designed to be mission-specific to the agency, organization, or regulated entity. The research team created a definition for this project to help us align with the scope of this project and other definitions and terms used by subject-matter experts, law enforcement, industry, and governments. Specifically, the team referenced definitions created by the TSA, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Air Transport Association (IATA), FAA, and other agencies when developing this definition:

1.1.1 Unruly Statistics

Unruly behavior reached an all-time high in 2021 with nearly 6,000 incidents reported to the FAA (Figure 1). That number halved in 2022 but was still double prepandemic numbers, and 2023 only showed an additional 15% drop. This indicates that while incidents have decreased significantly since the height of unruly behavior in 2021, passengers are still experiencing stresses that cause them to lash out. IATA reported that global incidents increased 37% in 2022 over 2021 numbers.

In 2021, failure to comply with the federal mask mandate was the leading cause of unruly incidents. Once the mask mandate was lifted, air carriers and airports saw a significant decrease in unruly incidents attributed to noncompliance (Figure 2).

These numbers only reflect the incidents reported to the FAA. The data do not account for incidents that were de-escalated, unreported, or those that occurred in the airport rather than

on an aircraft. There are no related statistics looking at unruly behavior incidents in airports because those incidents are not under the FAA’s purview or accounted for in the FAA’s numbers. Additionally, there is no centralized database at the federal or international level. As a result, the data that are collected are stored in siloed databases across federal agencies (FAA, TSA, FBI), air carriers, law enforcement agencies, and airports.

In July 2021, the Association of Flight Attendants-Communications Workers of America (AFA-CWA) released the results of their survey of nearly 5,000 flight attendants across 30 air carriers. The survey showed that 50% of respondents witnessed misconduct during boarding procedures and 13% witnessed misconduct in the gate area, indicating that many unruly incidents on the aircraft begin before boarding. Sara Nelson, international president of AFA-CWA, reported that “nearly half the incidents could be prevented by identifying problems on the ground or preflight.”

Unruly behavior incidents are relatively few compared to the total number of flights—nearly two incidents for every 10,000 flights. But these incidents disproportionately impact the efficiency of the aviation system and the limited aviation and law enforcement resources. In addition to potentially causing a chain reaction of flight delays, responding to these incidents diverts law enforcement, public safety, airport security, and airport operations resources from their primary responsibilities. The associated media attention of an unruly individual in the terminal can quickly escalate and damage the airport’s reputation and brand image.

1.1.2 Threat Levels

To define and categorize the types of unruly incidents on an aircraft, the FAA Joint Air Traffic Operations Command (JATOC) created a four-tier classification system based on threat levels. This chart was presented as one option for air carriers to categorize passenger misconduct (FAA 1996). Originally, there were only three categories; 10 years later, the FAA published an update with a fourth category for the most serious offenses and attempted or actual breach of the flight deck (FAA 2006).

ICAO and IATA have developed similar categorizations (Table 1) to help create a more unified aviation ecosystem by using common descriptors. These categories are often used to determine which incidents are severe enough to be reported to prosecuting authorities. Many transportation authorities only require that incidents of level 2 and higher be reported. This creates a gap in enforcement that allows many unruly individuals to go unpunished for level 1 and less serious level 2 offenses.

The pilot in command of the aircraft relays the threat level to the air traffic control (ATC) tower, who then relay it to the airport dispatch and responding authorities (e.g., airport police, airport security). Knowing the difference between the threat levels can help prepare those responding to diverted flights. These levels can also be incorporated into the airport’s reporting requirements to help classify and track trends in unruly behavior incidents.

1.2 Potential Offenders

Much of the media coverage, legislation, and attention garnered by unruly behavior has been focused on the incidents that occur on the aircraft or during boarding. In these situations, the potential offenders and victims are limited to passengers, flight crew, gate agents, and service

Table 1. Threat level categories.

providers (e.g., ground handlers, wheelchair pushers). Potential offenders everywhere else in the airport can include anyone on the property, including:

• ticketed passengers
• friends and families of ticketed passengers
• airport visitors (e.g., media, demonstrations, planned events)
• drivers on roadways
• aviation workers (e.g., employees of the airport, air carriers, TSA, concessionaires, vendors)
• crew members
• members of the public without business at the airport (e.g., people experiencing homelessness [PEH], passengers who have been denied boarding, unauthorized protests)

According to the research interviews, ticketed passengers with elite air carrier status were identified as regular instigators in unruly incidents at several participating airports, especially with gate agents attempting to enforce air carrier rules. This group of passengers reportedly feel entitled to certain benefits and services because of their frequent flyer status. When denied these benefits or denied boarding, they can become angry and unruly.

The research revealed that disruptions on the public side are more common at airports with a large population of unticketed individuals camping or loitering in the terminal space. Law enforcement, airport operations, airport security, and contracted social service entities are often called to respond to PEH, migrants, or other unticketed individuals (non-airport-users) who become disruptive in public spaces. Sometimes those individuals trespass into the tenant-leased areas, such as break rooms, and steal personal property from tenant employees. This can be disturbing for the tenant employees who will call for airport security or law enforcement to intervene.

A growing number of airports are experiencing unruly behaviors from badged aviation workers, including verbal and physical fights with coworkers, passengers, and badging staff. Among the airports surveyed, instances of vulgarity and swearing have become more common and impactful to airport operations, safety, and security. Several airports participating in this research have promulgated rules and regulations that the airport is authorized to suspend or revoke badge access for inappropriate conduct or invoke other measures to enforce unacceptable behavior on site.

1.3 Possible Root Causes

Research into the root causes of unruly behavior at airports, paired with anecdotal evidence from the interviews of airport operators, government agencies, law enforcement, and mental health experts, can be attributed to three broad root causes:

1. drugs and alcohol
   • – intoxication
   • – to-go alcoholic beverages served or overserved at some restaurants
   • – the alcohol limit restarts if the individual moves to a different restaurant, lounge, or club
   • – drug use (prescription and nonprescription)
   • – combination of alcohol and drugs
   • – withdrawal symptoms
   • – sleep aids
2. stressors associated with commercial air travel
   • – layovers, missed connections, delays and rolling delays, cancellations
   • – gate changes
   • – “hidden” fees for luggage and other services or features imposed by the air carrier
   • – real or perceived lack of communication about flight status
   • – poor customer service or negative interactions with aviation workers
   • – sensory overload and noise in the airport terminals
   • – traffic to the airport
   • – limited parking spots available
   • – long queues and slow processes
   • – divesting procedures at the security checkpoint
   • – long walking distances
   • – lack of concessions and restaurant options
   • – limited seating in gate rooms
   • – time pressure
   • – lost items
3. mental health
   • – noncompliance with prescription medications
   • – stress, anxiety, psychological or psychiatric disorders, fear of flying, phobias from being in enclosed spaces
   • – sensory overstimulation and populations who are neurodivergent or negatively affected by the airport environment—noisy, crowded, bright lights
   • – inability to control emotions, lack of self-control and anger management, feelings of entitlement
   • – trauma in personal life (e.g., domestic abuse, homelessness, recent personal loss)
   • – fatigue and jet lag

Due to their size, complexity, and proximity to major cities, several airports participating in the study reported experiencing instances of substance use and mental health or emotional crises that contribute to unruly behavior, petty crimes committed by unticketed individuals, and civil disobedience. Individuals experiencing a mental health crisis because of substance use, nonadherence to medication regimens, or other emotional and mental health factors are frequently observed at airports in both the public and sterile areas.

Interviews with airports indicate that the root causes—and primary perpetrators—of unruly behavior incidents differ significantly from airport to airport due to regional societal differences and a variety of factors both within and outside the airport’s control.

1.3.1 Drugs and Alcohol

Anecdotally, airport operators report that about one-third of unruly incidents in the airport involve some level of intoxication. Intoxication in this report includes alcohol, drugs, controlled substances, or any other substances that interfere with physical and mental faculties.

Alcohol is often cited as a major contributing factor to many unruly incidents. The AFA-CWA survey of flight attendants showed that 58% of respondents reported alcohol contributed to disruptive and unruly incidents in flight. Nelson reported that many of the more unruly passengers drink to excess or conceal alcoholic beverages to bypass in-flight service restrictions. Some restaurants and concessionaires facilitate this behavior by offering alcoholic drinks to go or for gateside delivery.

In his August 2021 letter to airports, FAA administrator Steve Dickson encouraged airports to bring awareness to this regulation through public awareness campaigns, signage (Figure 3), and strategic messaging (Dickson 2021).

After considerable pushback from the air carrier industry, several airports participating in this research reported rolling back their allowance of to-go alcohol policies to help reduce the number of unruly incidents fueled by alcohol.

Several airports in the study reported working with their state alcohol commissions departments to conduct audits and undercover operations of airport tenants who serve or sell alcohol to ensure compliance and mitigate overserving. Tenants are motivated to comply with policies and regulations when they know that the governing licensing and regulatory authorities will regularly conduct these inspections and audits.

While waiting on a delayed flight, some passengers drink alcohol in restaurants, bars, and lounges to the point of intoxication only to have the flight canceled after midnight. To help counter this, some airports in this study increase law enforcement officer (LEO) presence around the

restaurant areas during late hours for visibility and to deter unruly behaviors. This also allows them to respond quickly to calls for service in these locations.

1.3.2 Stressors of Air Travel

Postpandemic passenger demographics have changed from mostly business and international travel to more first-time and leisure travelers. This suggests there are fewer experienced travelers who know what processes and procedures to expect and more inexperienced flyers who are not familiar with or do not understand the rules of commercial air travel. The typical stressors of travel are compounded by confusion, which can result in emotional outbursts and volatility. It is also important to recognize that every individual will respond differently to stimuli.

The typical aviation journey encompasses many stressful touchpoints and stages (e.g., check-in, security checkpoint, boarding) that could contribute to an episodic mental health crisis triggered by stressful events. Examples of stressful triggers in the travel journey include:

• insomnia and anxiety the night before the flight
• traffic on the way to the airport
• unfamiliarity with the airport layout or technology in use
• travel restrictions for bags, liquids, etc.
• long queues at services (e.g., concessions, restrooms, customer service counters)
• feeling rushed through processes (e.g., unloading at the curb, screening processes at the checkpoint)
• delayed, canceled, or missed flights
• lack of customer service or public-facing customer representatives to assist with travel-related issues
• unfamiliarity with airport or air carrier policies
• lost, missing, or stolen luggage
• environmental factors at the airports which contribute to sensory overload and stress

1.3.3 Mental Health

People living with mental illness or experiencing behavior dysregulation are often reported as unruly when they display outbursts of emotion. These individuals can usually be de-escalated with the appropriate training, depending on the nature and severity of their crisis. Many individuals living with these conditions can quickly escalate into aggressive behavior if triggered by certain conditions (e.g., tone and volume of voice, communication style and words, space and proximity, authoritative appearance and actions, being touched or placed in handcuffs).

Many individuals living with mental illness will turn down services or resources offered, which can make removing them from the airport facility more challenging. Arresting these individuals is seen as problematic to many, and each state has strict guidelines for involuntary mental health commitments to hospitals. Many airport operators interviewed avoid both options

by encouraging the individuals to use the city’s public transit system or other services to leave the airport voluntarily, but the individuals often return.

Additionally, behavior dysregulation can occur in anyone, not just those with a history of mental illness. Episodic mental health crises may be triggered by external stress factors that can be amplified during the aviation journey. These may include:

• elevated levels of stress
• changes in sleep patterns or lack of sleep
• use of recreational drugs or alcohol
• seasonal changes (e.g., storms and weather unfavorable for flying)
• a significant life event (e.g., moving, divorce, childbirth)
• loss or bereavement, especially for those traveling to funerals and memorials
• domestic trauma and abuse
• difficult life conditions or crises (e.g., financial, housing, medical, or mental health, including loneliness)
• medication side effects
• symptoms of physical illness or a neurological condition (e.g., chronic traumatic encephalopathy [CTE])
• sensory overload (e.g., large crowds, lights, sounds, smells)

1.4 Relevant Stakeholders

Commercial air travel is a complex journey each passenger must navigate every time they fly. Factors contributing to the kinds of unruly incidents shown in viral videos start long before the passenger boards the aircraft. Along the journey, the passenger goes through several often stressful processes, interacting with potentially dozens of aviation workers. An inexhaustive list of these potential aviation workers includes:

• parking lot attendants and valets
• rental car employees
• air carrier ticket counter, bag check, customer service, gate agents
• volunteers and security patrols in public areas
• air carrier crew members
• TSA personnel
• LEOs, including canine and long gun units
• concessionaire/retail employees
• restaurant and lounge employees
• vendors transporting goods
• passenger services employees (e.g., wheelchair attendants, cart drivers)
• ground support personnel

These customer-facing personnel are often the individuals who receive the most abuse from unruly individuals, but many of them have no real (or perceived) authority to enforce policies and regulations.

The following stakeholders are often empowered to make overarching policy decisions and draft regulations targeted at unruly individuals and behavior:

• airport managers (e.g., security and operations)
• airport operators (e.g., legal, airport board, director, chief executive officer [CEO], security director)
• air carrier corporate (e.g., security and operations)

• tenant corporate (e.g., security and operations)
• local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies (e.g., FBI, TSA, Federal Air Marshal Service [FAMS], Customs and Border Protection [CBP], county sheriff ’s office)
• federal regulators (e.g., TSA, FBI, FAA)

Passengers can also play an important role in managing these incidents as they may be able to provide witness statements and video footage. Airports are highly aware that the perspectives of the people observing these incidents and responses in person can sway the opinion of the broader public via footage shared on media outlets and social media. Engaging these stakeholders during and after unruly incidents can help moderate the impact on the airport’s reputation.