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Alaska Airlines has banned more than a dozen passengers whose behavior was deemed "unacceptable" on a recent flight from Washington, D.C., to Seattle.
An airline spokesperson had previously confirmed to Fox News that the carrier was considering such actions after the passengers, of which there were at least 14, had refused to wear masks (as per Alaska’s current coronavirus policy) and also harassed crew members during the flight, which took off from Dulles International Airport for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Thursday.
"Last night, a number of passengers on board Alaska Airlines Flight 1085 from Washington Dulles to Seattle were non-mask compliant, rowdy, argumentative and harassed our crew members. Their behavior was unacceptable," a spokesperson for the carrier said in a statement obtained by Fox News last week.
"We will not tolerate any disturbance onboard our aircraft or at any of the airports we serve," the statement later added.
An airline spokesperson reportedly confirmed that the offending passengers had refused to wear masks and also harassed crew members during the flight. (iStock)
Alaska Airlines later confirmed to Fox News that those 14 passengers had indeed been banned in an updated statement.
"Because of their actions and non-compliance, we have banned 14 of those passengers from future travel with us," the airline wrote. "We apologize to our other guests who were made uncomfortable on the flight."
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Thursday’s incident follows the airline industry publicly announcing larger changes to current policy in the wake of Wednesday’s rioting at the U.S. Capitol, during which a mob of Trump supporters breached the entrance and stormed the building. The ensuing chaos resulted in at least 70 arrests by Thursday morning, as well as the deaths of at least five people who had either suffered medical emergencies or serious injury. Police confirmed that U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick was among those who died of injuries sustained during the riots.
Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), has since called for the ban of any persons who participated in the "violent and seditious actions at the Capitol," urging the U.S. government to "disqualify these individuals from the freedom of flight."
In response to AFA-CWA’s concerns, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said on Saturday that the FAA will take "strong enforcement action" against disruptive passengers, "with penalties ranging from monetary fines to jail time."
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United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines had also confirmed heightened security measures at D.C.-area airports last week, with the latter confirming to Fox News that alcohol will no longer be sold on flights to or leaving from the D.C. area.