As the holiday season approaches, travelers are gearing up for festive getaways. Meanwhile, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is implementing stricter travel regulations to address unruly passenger behavior.
According to The Mirror US, authorities have warned that passengers who violate security checkpoint rules may face significant fines.
“The FAA can propose up to $43,658 per violation for unruly passenger cases. One incident can result in multiple fines,” a warning on the Federal Aviation Administration website reads.
An official TSA alert states, “Passengers who engage in unruly behavior at the checkpoint or in-flight may face substantial penalties and possible prosecution on criminal charges.”
The administration specified that passengers should not make threats, engage in verbal abuse, or commit any form of physical violence.
Reminder: Passengers who engage in unruly behavior at the checkpoint or inflight may face substantial penalties and possible prosecution on criminal charges. @FAANews has more info regarding inflight disturbances here: https://t.co/TfFviNWRwC pic.twitter.com/ePrAHI6BOV
— TSA (@TSA) December 8, 2025
The TSA’s latest move comes in response to multiple incidents involving unruly passengers in recent years. In 2021 alone, the FAA investigated a record 6,000 cases.
According to The US Sun, one case involved a passenger on a JetBlue flight from New York City to Orlando, who was fined $45,000.
Per FAA reports, the passenger allegedly grabbed a flight attendant by the ankles and inappropriately touched her. The flight crew made an emergency landing in Richmond, Virginia, where the passenger was removed in handcuffs.
Another 2021 JetBlue incident involved a passenger traveling from New York City to San Francisco. He was fined $42,000 for threatening fellow travelers and making stabbing gestures toward them. He was also accused of “snorting what appeared to be cocaine from a plastic bag.” FAA reports stated that crew members used ice mallets as a safety measure. The aircraft was eventually rerouted to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where law enforcement removed the passenger.
A separate 2021 incident involved a Southwest Airlines passenger who was fined $32,500 by the FAA for attacking fellow travelers who refused to switch seats to accommodate his companion on a flight from Orlando, Florida, to Kansas City, Missouri.
There is zero tolerance for assaulting our officers. Make no mistake, violators who threaten, endanger, or harm our officers will face severe penalties and legal action, with fines of up to $17,062. https://t.co/neSX0CyslB
— TSA (@TSA) December 15, 2025
While the number of reported incidents in 2025 was 1500, a large drop compared to 2021, it is still an alarming figure when compared to pre-pandemic data.
According to the FAA, an average of 860 incidents was documented between 2017 and 2019, a number that witnessed a drastic surge during COVID.
While disruptive passengers have previously paid up a total of $2.2 million in fines, the new TSA regulation can see them pay up to $44,000 in penalties each.
