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France Imposes Tougher Air Passenger Sanctions, Including €10,000 Fines and Four-Year Bans

Citing a surge in unruly incidents, the transport minister will assemble airlines to roll out a shared reporting system.

Overview

  • The decree, in force since November 7, designates the civil aviation minister as the authority to issue administrative penalties for disruptive behavior.
  • Fines can reach €10,000, rising to €20,000 for repeat offenders, and boarding bans of up to four years are possible in the most serious cases.
  • Sanctionable conduct includes ignoring safety instructions, obstructing crew duties, using prohibited electronic devices, refusing to fasten seatbelts, or violent acts.
  • Accused passengers have one month to submit observations before sanctions are finalized, and these administrative measures are separate from criminal penalties of up to five years in prison and €75,000.
  • A centralized database will enable French carriers to share information on banned passengers, with airlines to be convened by the minister to implement the system.