American Airlines is stepping up security measures ahead of the inauguration day, increasing staff in Washington, DC and moving crews to hotels closer to airports.
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The airline said the sale of alcoholic beverages on flights to and from airports in the DC area, including Baltimore / Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BMI), Ronald Reagan Washington Airport (DCA) and Dulles International airport (IAD) from 16 January to 21 January.
Crew members will be relocated to hotels outside the city center, and from now until January 24, they will receive private transportation to and from their hotels and the airport.
In addition, the airline said it was reviewing pre-departure announcements to further emphasize the importance of following the crew member and complying with the mandatory face-covering policy.
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“We continue to work closely with local and federal law enforcement, as well as our airport partners, and will continue to enforce policies that ensure the safety and well-being of our customers and team members on the ground and in the air,” the airline said. in a statement.
The move comes as several law enforcement agencies remain on alert for acts of violence following the January 6 uprising on the U.S. Capitol.
The FBI has warned that armed rioters are planning to attack the city before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in, while National Guard troops remain on the lookout for possible explosives and IEDs in the city.
American Airlines is not the only provider that adapts its protocols. Delta said it would not ban controlled firearms on board flights unless the passenger is a law enforcement officer, CEO Ed Bastian told CNBC on Thursday.
Delta has put 880 people on its no-fly list for failing to comply with mask mandates, while others have been banned after being linked to riots at the Capitol, a Reuters spokesman said.
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U.S. Federal Aviation Administration chief Steve Dickson told the news agency that disruptive passengers could face fines of up to $ 35,000 and possible imprisonment for non-compliance with airline officials, which is a ‘zero-tolerance policy’ for violence indicate.