AIR PASSENGERS, everyone seems to agree, have become more loutish in recent years. Lurid stories of fliers kicking off inside cabins—before getting kicked out of them—have become staples of newspapers and social-media sites. That, though, may just be a product of a willingness by witnesses to whip out a phone to record every fracas. In fact in 2019, which might be considered the last normal year for the air-travel industry, America’s Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) launched just 146 investigations into incidents of unruly behaviour by passengers on American flights, despite more than 1bn fliers passing through the country’s airports. That was a typical year for such behaviour, and by historical standards it was a good one (see chart).
This year, however, things really have changed for the worse. According to the latest figures from the FAA, in the year to July 6th it has launched 540 investigations into unruly behaviour by passengers, more than three times the number for the whole of 2019. That is despite there being only around 40% the number of travellers aboard America’s planes. Alcohol—especially people smuggling illicit booze into the cabin—is a problem. But the overwhelming reason for the increase is clear. Of the more than 3,000 incidents of bad behaviour reported by cabin crew (only a fraction of which lead to a formal investigation), three-quarters involved passengers refusing to comply with the requirement to wear a face-mask. Last month the FAA proposed fines totalling $124,500 for eight particularly disruptive fliers, seven of whom had bared a naked face.
The politicisation of face masks in America could be at the heart of the problem. Inspired in part by Donald Trump’s mockery of those who covered up, mask-wearing has become a battleground in the country’s culture war. Republicans are much less likely than Democrats to wear one in public places. In April Lora Reinbold, a Republican state senator in Alaska, was banned indefinitely from flying with Alaska Airlines for refusing to muzzle up. She accused the airline of “mask tyranny”. Sadly for the airlines things are unlikely to get better soon. Although America is generally loosening rules on the public covering their faces, the Transportation Security Administration recently extended its requirement that masks be worn in airports and on commercial flights until September 13th.
"much" - Google News
July 11, 2021 at 07:00AM
https://ift.tt/3yKfSLN
Air passengers have become much more confrontational during the pandemic - The Economist
"much" - Google News
https://ift.tt/37eLLij
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Air passengers have become much more confrontational during the pandemic - The Economist"
Post a Comment