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Act up on a flight? You could lose your TSA Precheck privileges

“If you act out of line, you will wait in line,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said.

There have been thousands of reports of unruly passengers on commercial flights this year.

There was the Sarasota woman who police say refused to wear a mask and spit on other passengers back in July.  And more recently the Florida man reportedly kicked off a flight for wearing a pair of red women's underwear as a mask.

To crack down on this type of behavior, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in September increased the penalty for people who violate the federal mandate to wear masks on planes, trains, and other forms of transportation.

Now the agency is teaming up with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to introduce even stricter measures, including the removal of TSA PreCheck screening eligibility — a privilege reserved for low-risk travelers. 

“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 an FAA news release.

“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.”

Through the partnership, the agencies will exchange information in regard to the identification and location of unruly passengers so they may be served with the proper penalty notices.

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

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