“Behaving dangerously on a plane will cost you; that’s a promise,” Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen said in an emailed statement. The agency can impose fines of as much as $37,000 per violation. The FAA had referred 80 cases for prosecution as of Feb. 16.

More than 1,200 unruly passenger incidents were reported this year through mid-April, roughly 800 of which were related to masks, according to the FAA. While the number of incidents is far above pre-pandemic years, the rate per flight has declined more than 60% from its peak, according to agency data. Airlines have been working with the Biden administration to create a nationwide no-fly list to ban the worst offenders.

–With assistance from Alan Levin.