Holiday flyers are getting a warning from the U.S. government: Be nice

"Air travel is a stressful event for anyone: long waits at the airport, the ever-present threat of delayed flights, and cramped seats can easily cause temperaments to run short. All that is made worse during the holidays, as the number of travelers soars. But what can make a flight even worse than the unavoidable unpleasantries are, simply put, travel jerks. These are travelers who are rude to one another, short-tempered with airport staff, and disrespectful to flight attendants."

"On Wednesday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced a new campaign titled "The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You." The DOT says the campaign is designed to get the country talking about "how we can all restore courtesy and class to air travel." Announcing the new campaign, which kicks off with a 90-second YouTube video, the DOT highlighted data that it says backs up the popular perception that traveling on planes has become more unruly in recent years."

"According to the agency, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has seen more than a 400% increase in in-flight outbursts since 2019. These outbursts include everything from "disruptive behavior to outright violence." The agency says that between 2020 and 2021, reports of unruly behavior rose more than six times. In 2021 alone, 20% of flight attendants experienced "physical incidents," and since 2021, 13,800 unruly passenger incidents have been reported. Most recently, the DOT says, 2024 saw double the number of unruly passenger events when compared to 2019."

Holiday air travel increases stress due to long waits, delays, cramped seats, and soaring passenger numbers, which heighten incidents of rudeness and aggression. The U.S. Department of Transportation launched the campaign "The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You" to promote courtesy and class, debuting with a 90-second YouTube video. FAA data indicate more than a 400% rise in in-flight outbursts since 2019, a sixfold increase in reports between 2020 and 2021, 13,800 unruly passenger incidents since 2021, and double the events in 2024 compared with 2019. In 2021, 20% of flight attendants experienced physical incidents.

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