Airlines Urged To Crack Down On Rowdy Riders

Reports of belligerent or drunken passengers aboard airliners have risen in recent years, and the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a notice encouraging U.S. airlines to crack down and make sure their policies on how to handle rowdy passengers are clear to employees.

Flight attendants have complained that airlines were too tolerant - especially with drunken passengers whose business the airline didn’t want to lose.

The tougher attitude may have been a factor on Feb. 13, when an American Airlines flight was delayed at the gate at Philadelphia International Airport while three people were removed from the San Juan-bound flight.

Passengers said the people apparently had been drinking before boarding the already delayed flight, then were vulgar, and ignored requests that they quiet down before takeoff.