Flight attendants from major airlines on Wednesday, including two from Texas, sought a ban on disruptive travelers from lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
The number of intimidating or violent airline passengers towards airline staffers remains high after the pandemic.
It's been almost a year since the government ended its pandemic mandate that airline passengers wear masks. The rule caused many passengers to lash out at airline personnel.
But some flight attendants say they still have negative experiences.
"The passenger refused to comply with the request and proceeded to call me a fat, bald [expletive]. He approached me threateningly, spitting on me," said American Airlines flight attendant Pete Enriquez.
Earlier this month, this fight broke out between passengers flying Southwest Airlines, and a man was arrested aboard a United Flight after allegedly attempting to open an emergency exit door and stabbing a flight attendant.
"Assaults continue to happen, even after the mask mandate is gone," said Southwest Airlines flight attendant Thom McDaniel.
Several flight attendants and their union leaders also touched down in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday to support a bipartisan bill that would bar passengers fined of convicted of serious physical violence and abuse from commercial flights. Anyone for assaulting, intimidating, or interfering with airline crew members who would be banned from further air travel. The legislation was introduced in the last session of Congress but did not pass.
McDaniel, who lives in Houston and is a 31-year veteran of Southwest Airlines, backs the bill's passage.
"We want to make sure that the people get due process, but at the end of the day, if you assault an airline employee, specifically a flight attendant, we don't want you back on the plane," he said.
The American Civil Liberties Union opposes the legislation, arguing that such bans discriminate against people of color and lack transparency.
Some Republicans, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, opposed the legislation last year, arguing it was federal overreach and violated constitutional protections tied to interstate travel.
Cruz is now the top Republican on the Senate committee responsible for overseeing aviation safety, and it doesn't appear his stance has changed.
In a statement to Spectrum News, Christian McMullen, a spokesperson for Cruz and the commerce committee said, “Violence against any crew-members or passengers is abhorrent, which is why it’s illegal under multiple different federal laws. DOT has authority to go after those who use violence or threats of violence, and they need to use it.”
But McDaniel believes Congressional action needs to be taken.
"I don't know any flight attendant who lives in Texas, whether that's Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, or where I grew up Midland, who doesn't think that they should be safe when they go to work, and our senator should be listening to us about that," McDaniel told Spectrum News.
