Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios
After nearly 2,500 reports of unruly passengers on flights last year, Congress is considering a new no-fly list.
Driving the news: Senate and House members proposed legislation Wednesday that would allow the Transportation Security Administration to ban people convicted or fined for assaulting or interfering with airline crews.
Of note: The TSA no-fly list would be separate from the FBI's list, which is geared toward people suspected of having terrorism ties.
The big picture: In the wake of a federal traveler mask mandate during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 saw a record number of unruly passengers. But although such incidents decreased in 2022 after the rule was dropped, cases requiring investigation were still 470% higher than before the pandemic.
What they're saying: Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), one of the lawmakers who introduced the measure, said incidents involving "abusive passengers" increased by nearly 600% between 2019 to 2022.
Flashback: A similar measure failed to go through Congress last year.
Be smart: The Federal Aviation Administration can fine people up to $37,000 per violation for unruly passenger cases — up from $25,000.