Recently, a passenger was arrested after taking a daring ride on an airplane’s emergency exit slide before takeoff.
The incident occurred around 10:30am on a Boeing 737 plane belonging to Delta Air Lines Flight 1714, which was preparing to take off from Los Angeles International Airport to Seattle, Washington.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a statement saying that the passenger was detained and arrested by local law enforcement. To make up for the inconvenience to passengers, the FAA re-accommodated them on another aircraft. An investigation into the matter is ongoing.
In December 2022, Delta Air Lines changed its policy and decided to restrict access to its lounge services for passengers flying economy class, even if they have a membership in the executive club. To be able to use the airline’s services, one must have a more expensive ticket or a specific American Express credit card membership.
In February 2022, Delta Air Lines once again requested permission from the Department of Justice to create a “no-fly” list for unruly customers, to which Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg responded positively, saying that the idea “should be on the table” and that it is “completely unacceptable to mistreat, abuse or even disrespect flight crews.”
The Department of Justice responded by affirming its commitment to pursuing investigations and prosecutions of those who violate federal law.