The Transportation Security Administration has pushed back at some travelers after using social media to call out passenger behavior in the air, though the message did not go down well with everyone.
Debates around flight etiquette rarely die down, with travelers often holding very different views on what is and is not acceptable during a trip.
Not long ago, the US Transportation Secretary sparked backlash after suggesting people should avoid wearing pajamas to the airport and opt for smarter clothing instead.
That comment quickly turned into a wider argument about what passengers should be expected to wear.
This latest dispute, though, is not about airport fashion. It is about conduct once you are already seated on the plane.
The issue in question is the call button above your seat.
Onboard, that button is meant to help passengers get the crew’s attention when there is a genuine issue or when assistance is needed.
But if you are repeatedly pressing it to order more alcohol, the TSA has made clear that it does not think that is an appropriate use of it.
“Daily reminder: 14B is not a dive bar. The call button isn’t a way to keep ordering round after round, and your flight is NOT the after-party,” wrote the TSA’s official X account, as it highlighted the growing number of people who have been misusing the buttons in order to make their flight attendant their own personal bartender. “Travel smart. Follow instructions of airport and airline workers, and leave unruly behavior off the itinerary, please and thanks.”
While many would see that as a fair reminder for passengers not to distract cabin crew or become disruptive, others took issue with the post.
“this reads like it was written by a European.”
“How about you just worry about screening people in timely manner.”
Daily reminder: 14B is not a dive bar. The call button isn’t a way to keep ordering round after round, and your flight is NOT the after-party.
Travel smart. Follow instructions of airport and airline workers, and leave unruly behavior off the itinerary, please and thanks.
— TSA (@TSA) July 7, 2026
“Uh-huh, how about posting something that pertains to the security you pretend to provide instead?”
Figures from the Federal Aviation Administration show that unruly-passenger incidents remain a concern, even if they have fallen sharply from their peak. The FAA says it investigates unruly-passenger incidents reported by airline crews and maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward threatening, disruptive, or violent behavior on flights.
The agency says the rate of unruly passenger incidents has dropped by more than 80 percent from the record highs seen in early 2021, but it also warns that recent increases show there is still work to do. FAA data show there were 5,973 reports in 2021 and 2,102 in 2024.
The FAA says passengers who engage in unruly behavior can face civil penalties, criminal charges, FBI referral in serious cases, and travel restrictions such as loss of TSA PreCheck eligibility.
When it comes to alcohol, passengers can bring certain quantities with them for their destination, but that does not mean they are allowed to drink their own supply during the flight.
If alcohol is in unopened retail packaging and contains “more than 24% but not more than 70% alcohol by volume (up to 140 proof),” it can be transported on the aircraft, according to FAA guidance.
Just do not open it and start drinking in your seat.