DALLAS (AP) – Airline customer-service agents say they often get verbal threats from passengers, and sometimes they turn into physical confrontations.
The agents say alcohol, airline fees and long lines can anger passengers.
The Government Accountability Office reported Tuesday that more than half the 104 agents it surveyed reported threats or other harmful action by customers in the past year. About 10% say they were physically assaulted.
The congressional investigative agency says comprehensive figures on passenger assaults are hard to find.
Airlines, airports and law enforcement say current laws are adequate to deter confrontations, and most say they have resources to deal with the problem.
A 2018 law required airlines to train agents in de-escalating conflicts. Airlines missed a deadline for submitting plans for handling passenger assaults.
