Here’s a list of legal consequences people can face if they physically fight on airplanes. These are serious and can follow you for life—whether you're the one who started it or got involved:

 

Try to remember folks, when you're traveling with other passengers, its only a temporary timespan. Just mind your buisness and behave yourselves.   Or Else.

 

1. Federal Charges

• Airplanes in flight are under federal jurisdiction in the U.S.

• Assaulting someone onboard can lead to charges like:

  • Interference with a flight crew (even if the crew wasn’t touched)

  • Assault or battery (can be felony-level)

  • Endangering an aircraft (if it threatens safety)

When someone gets into a physical fight on an airplane, it's not just bad behavior—it’s treated like a serious federal crime. 

That’s because once a plane is in the air, it falls under the rules of the U.S. government, not just local police. If someone throws a punch or gets aggressive, they can be charged with interfering with a flight crew—even if they never touched a pilot or attendant. Just causing fear or distraction can count. It can also lead to assault or battery charges, especially if someone is hurt. If the fight causes panic, chaos, or threatens the plane’s safety—even just by making others feel unsafe—it could be treated as “endangering an aircraft,” which carries harsh penalties. It’s not just a scuffle; it becomes a possible federal case.

 

2. Jail or Prison Time

• Interfering with a flight crew: up to 20 years in federal prison (more if a weapon is involved)

• Physical assault: months to years depending on injuries and severity

If someone picks a fight on an airplane, they’re not just risking a fine—they could end up behind bars for a long time. 

Interfering with a flight crew is one of the most serious charges and can bring up to 20 years in federal prison, especially if the person had a weapon or made threats. Even without a weapon, just grabbing a flight attendant, yelling at a pilot, or stopping them from doing their job can trigger this charge. Physical assault charges also come into play, and depending on how bad the injuries are, someone could face months or even several years in jail. The law treats planes differently because everyone on board is trapped in the air, so safety becomes a top priority. Even one bad decision can turn into a life-altering prison sentence.

 

3. Fines

• Civil penalties from FAA: up to $37,000 per violation

• Airline may also sue for costs (delays, emergency landings, etc.)

• Victims may file personal injury lawsuits

When someone causes trouble on a plane, it can hit their wallet hard—even before a judge says a word.

 The FAA can slam the person with fines as high as $37,000 for each violation, which can add up fast if they broke multiple rules or caused a scene. On top of that, the airline can sue them to cover the costs of delays, emergency landings, fuel, and any other disruptions. If passengers or crew were hurt or traumatized, they might file personal injury lawsuits too. All of this means that one angry outburst could easily turn into hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal bills and damages—money most people never see coming.

 

4. Permanent No-Fly List

• Airlines can ban passengers for life

• Federal watchlists may be updated

• Can affect travel with TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and international visas

Getting into a fight on a plane doesn’t just end when you land—it can stick with you forever. 

Airlines have the power to ban you for life, meaning you might never fly with them again. But it doesn’t stop there. If the situation is serious enough, your name could be added to federal watchlists. That can mess up more than your vacation plans—it can cancel TSA PreCheck, block Global Entry, and even make it hard to travel abroad, as some countries won’t issue visas to flagged individuals. One bad decision at 30,000 feet can slam the door on your freedom to travel.

 

5. Federal Record

• Convictions go on your permanent criminal record

• Can impact:

  • Jobs that require background checks

  • Immigration status or applications

  • Military enlistment

  • College admissions or scholarships

Getting convicted for causing trouble on a plane doesn’t just stay in the sky—it follows you for life. 

A federal conviction goes on your permanent record, and that can seriously mess up your future. If you’re applying for a job that needs a background check—like anything in government, security, or healthcare—it could cost you the position. If you’re not a U.S. citizen, it could hurt your immigration status or even lead to deportation. Trying to join the military? That’s likely out. And if you’re a student hoping for college or scholarships, those dreams can be blocked too. One outburst on a plane can shut down doors that take years to reopen—if they ever do.

 

6. Deportation (if not a U.S. citizen)

• Non-citizens may be deported or denied re-entry

• Fighting on a plane can be labeled a crime of moral turpitude

For non-citizens, getting into a fight on a plane can have consequences that go far beyond jail. 

Even if someone has a green card or visa, a charge like assault on an aircraft might be labeled a "crime of moral turpitude"—a serious offense in immigration law. That label can lead to deportation, denial of re-entry into the U.S., or getting blocked from ever becoming a citizen. What’s worse is it doesn’t take a long prison sentence to trigger this—just the conviction itself might be enough. So while some people see it as just a bad day in the air, the government might see it as a reason to send someone out of the country permanently.

 

7. Denied Entry to Other Countries

• Some nations (like Canada or the UK) may refuse entry based on violent offenses—even misdemeanors

Getting into a fight on a plane doesn’t just cause trouble in the U.S.—it can follow you across borders.

 Countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia take criminal records seriously. Even a misdemeanor for something like simple assault can be a red flag. Their border agents can deny you entry, cancel your travel plans, or send you back home at the airport. And it doesn’t matter if the offense happened years ago—some countries check travel histories closely, especially if the charge involved violence or endangered public safety. A single outburst in the sky could close doors to travel for years, or even life.

 

8. Civil Lawsuits

• Victims can sue you personally for:

  • Medical bills

  • Emotional trauma

  • Lost wages

If someone gets hurt during a fight on a plane, you could end up facing more than just jail time—

...you might also get sued in civil court. This means the victim can go after your personal money, asking a judge to make you pay for their hospital bills, therapy, or money they lost from missing work. Even if you didn’t mean to hurt them, just being part of the fight could make you responsible. These lawsuits don’t need to prove a crime—just that your actions caused harm. So, one bad moment in the air could cost you thousands or even more in court-ordered payments, years after the flight is over.

 

9. Added Airport Trouble

• Airport police will likely arrest you upon landing

• You may be held and questioned for hours before charges are filed

What a lot of people don’t realize is that the punishment doesn’t wait until later—it starts the moment the plane touches down.

 If you cause a fight on a flight, airport police are usually already alerted while you're still in the air. They’ll be waiting at the gate, sometimes with cuffs in hand. You can be taken off the plane in front of everyone, held in a secure area, and questioned for hours before anyone even decides what charges to bring. Some say this part feels like a message: they want to make sure you understand that stepping out of line in the air is treated as a major offense. And because it’s federal, things move differently—you may not even get to call home right away.

 

10. Media Exposure

• Many plane fights are filmed and shared online

• Even if you’re not convicted, the public video can ruin reputations

In today’s world, almost every person on a plane has a phone ready to record. 

So if someone gets into a fight mid-flight, chances are that moment ends up online within minutes. Even if the person isn't charged or found guilty, the video itself can cause massive damage. Employers might see it, friends might question your character, and strangers could recognize your face in public. Some people get doxxed—meaning their names, addresses, and jobs are shared by angry internet users. Once that video goes viral, it’s hard to undo the damage, no matter what the courts decide later. It's like being judged by the world before you even get a chance to explain.

 

 

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The Brutal Truth July 2025 Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976: Allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research.

 

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The Brutal Truth July 2025
The Brutal Truth Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976: Allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research.