TSA Bumps Mask Fines Up to $3,000

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) increased penalties for those not complying with mask mandates on airplanes or at airports. 

First-time offenders will now be fined between $500 to $1,000, up from $250 prior, while repeat offenders will be faced with fines somewhere between $1,000 and $3,000. 

The mandates, which have been in place by the TSA since February 2021 though some airlines had implemented earlier in the pandemic, will remain in place until at least Jan 18, 2022. 

The TSA also reminded passengers that these mask mandate-related civil penalties are separate from the civil penalties the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues for individuals who engage in unruly and unsafe behavior.

As of last month, those FAA fines now exceed more than $1 million across 3,889 incidents in the sky. About 75% of those incidents have come from passengers refusing to comply with the face mask mandate.