Two Dallas-area passengers face FAA fines for alcohol-related unruly behavior

A Southwest Airlines passenger who allegedly brought his own booze on board, sexually assaulted a flight attendant and then tried to smoke marijuana in the bathroom was among eight passengers slapped with $160,000 in combined fines by the Federal Aviation Administration for unruly behavior involving alcohol.

The FAA fined the man $40,823 for his actions during the April 15 flight from San Jose, Calif., to San Diego. Police arrested the man, who wasn’t identified by the air safety agency, for public intoxication and resisting arrest.

The eight cases outlined Monday represent a troubling trend as airlines weigh bringing back full alcohol service to flights. The FAA has received more than 300 reports of unruly passengers involving alcohol and intoxication this year, even though airlines have severely limited alcohol service on flights since spring of last year.

The Southwest passenger allegedly drank his own alcohol during the flight, even after flight attendants told him not to do so. The FAA said the passenger then sexually assaulted a flight attendant.

“As the flight was descending into San Diego, the passenger entered the lavatory and smoked marijuana,” the FAA said Monday.

Passenger misbehavior has been a persistent problem as leisure travel bounced back this year, with the FAA receiving 5,240 reports and more than half involving face mask issues.

In March, a man flying from DFW International Airport to Burbank, Calif., allegedly refused to wear a mask, threw his drink on the floor and stomped on it, and then demanded another alcoholic beverage before being denied by American Airlines flight attendants, according to the FAA.

“The passenger began yelling profanities at the other passengers and crew,” the FAA said, assessing a $32,250 fine against him. “A flight attendant de-escalated the situation, and law enforcement was requested to meet the passenger at the arrival gate.”

The incident reportedly started after the man refused to wear a mask several times early in the flight, including while he slept. When he woke and was asked to put his face mask on, he demanded a refund because he missed food and beverage service.

American Airlines, like several other carriers, is only offering alcohol service to premium cabin customers, such as those in first class. The FAA said flight attendants served the man two drinks, while he continued to follow federal face mask guidelines.

In another case involving a man flying from Dallas Love Field to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Southwest Airlines, the man allegedly brought his own alcohol on board and mixed it with a soda. During a stop at Nashville’s airport, he reportedly went to the airplane’s restroom and mixed another beverage with alcohol he brought on board and “threw the empty liquor bottle in the toilet.”

“When flight attendants tried to confiscate the drink, he quickly consumed it,” the FAA said.

The flight attendant found several mini alcohol bottles on the man, the report said. He was met by law enforcement after landing in Florida and the FAA fined him $12,250.

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines said it will not resume alcohol service on airplanes at least until the federal mask mandate ends, which is now slated for Jan. 18, 2022. Fort Worth-based American Airlines said it won’t sell alcohol to main cabin customers until January either, although first-class customers have had that privilege for several months.

United Airlines began serving miniature bottles of liquor on select flights Nov. 15 in the U.S., Canada and Latin markets.

The FAA has issued warnings to airports about alcohol to go and on-site alcohol sales.

Flight attendants have noted that alcohol has been involved in a large number of passenger disturbances and at one point American Airlines even tried to get the FAA to ban to-go alcohol at DFW Airport at one point.