TSA Fined Travelers $640K for Face Mask Violations

Mar. 17, 2022 — The Transportation Security Administration has fined vacationers $644,389 in 922 incidents involving face masks violations on airplanes, airports, and floor transportation, a report from the General Accounting Office says.

Overall, the TSA investigated 3,815 incidents involving potential face masks violations from February 2, 2021, to March 7, 2022, the report stated. When fines weren’t levied, 2,709 warning notices had been issued and no motion was taken in 180 incidents.

The report stated 788 incidents that resulted in fines occurred on board plane and resulted in fines averaging $634. Fines had been issued in 18 airport checkpoint incidents with fines averaging $3,170, 72 incidents on airport premises with fines averaging $803, and 44 incidents on floor transportation with fines averaging $640.

The report didn’t say how lots of the fines had been collected.

TSA’s masks mandate, imposed to assist cease the unfold of COVID-19, went into impact in February 2021 and was prolonged a number of instances. It had been scheduled to run out March 7 however was prolonged to April 18. People could be fined in the event that they don’t put on masks on planes, trains, buses, and ships or in airports, practice and bus stations, and ports.

The masks guidelines have angered some vacationers, and airways have reported incidents during which flight attendants have been bodily assaulted.

The GAO report doesn’t cowl face masks incidents dealt with by the Federal Aviation Administration.

During 2021, the FAA dealt with 5,981 studies of unruly passengers with 4,290 incidents associated to face masks. The FAA launched 1,122 investigations and 350 enforcement actions, with $5 million in fines proposed. It’s not identified how a lot in fines was paid.

From Jan. 1, 2022, till March 14, 2022, the FAA dealt with 889 studies of unruly passengers with 587 incidents associated to face masks. The FAA launched 242 investigations and 115 enforcement actions.