The organization Airlines for America, or A4A, along with a coalition of other industry partners, have sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland regarding the recent uptick in aggressive and unruly passenger behaviors.

The letter which was sent early Monday urges the Department of Justice to prosecute unruly passengers. The detailed letter explains in part, “While the vast majority of passengers comply with federal rules and crewmember instruction, some have not received the FAA’s ‘zero-tolerance’ message.” It reads on, “We respectfully request that the FAA refer abhorrent cases to the Department of Justice (DOJ) so that the federal government may fully, swiftly, and publicly prosecute criminal acts to the fullest extent of the law and deter this dangerous and concerning behavior.”

The letter also urges the DOJ to aid in sending out the message of prosecuting passengers who do not comply. The letter explains, “We appreciate your strong, direct video messages, social media posts and other public comments that speak directly to unruly passengers and clearly articulate the ‘zero-tolerance’ policy. We respectfully request that the FAA and other federal agencies amplify the messaging to reach all travelers about the proposed penalties in addition to using all resources, including the media, to put a very public spotlight on the sentences handed down to perpetrators.

This latest push from A4A comes after what has been an unprecedented uptick in unruly and aggressive passenger behaviors aboard national flights. During the first five months of 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration responded to nearly 400 instances of passenger disruptions in which passengers were potentially violating the law by "interfering with the duties of a crew member." This number is alarming compared to the 146 FAA responses in all of 2019.

The aggressive behavior appears to be tracking the political unrest throughout the nation. During the timeframe of the Capitol Hill riots, there was an uptick in unruly passengers to the point that the FAA announced it would be implementing a zero-tolerance order on passengers. This zero-tolerance policy touted fines of up to $35,000 and prison time for harassing and not complying with crew members.

The zero-tolerance policy was born in part because of acts like the one that occurred two days after the Capitol riots. On an American Airline flight departing from Washington DC and arriving at Phoenix, Arizona, passengers were disruptive in their chants of “USA” and “Fight for Trump.” Their non-compliance with crew members caused the pilot to threaten an emergency landing in Kansas if the passengers did not “behave.”

Most recently, On the 12th of June, an unruly passenger on Delta Flight 1730 tried to break into the cockpit after he stated he was “going to bring the plane down.” He was quickly subdued by crewmates and passengers after the pilot announced "all able-bodied men please come to the front of the plane for an emergency," according to 29-year-old passenger Benjamin Curlee. This was the second unruly outburst on a Delta flight within the span of a couple of days.

Another element pushing unruly passengers to the brink is the controversy surrounding mask mandates. According to the FAA, Airlines have reported nearly 3,000 instances of unruly passengers. A huge chunk of these instances, roughly 2,300, is related to passengers who refused to wear a mask.

Chief of the FAA, Steve Dickerson, shared with ABC News last month, "In a typical year the agency will end up taking this type of enforcement action in about 100 to 160 enforcement cases so it's nothing new. What really is new is the volume that we're seeing right now."

Some have related the latest uptick in unruly passenger behavior to a lack of proper staffing by airlines. Delta Airlines has struggled with staffing as they saw their staffing shrink by 20% last year. American Airlines is battling a similar flight. The staffing shortages have hit airline call centers especially hard with Delta being regarded as one of the airlines with incredibly long wait times. For many customers, these call centers are where fliers are seeking clarity on COVID-19 measures. The lack of an adequate response may be fueling the confusion and frustration flyers feel once they board their flight.

This latest push in airlines urging the DOJ to prosecute unruly passengers comes just days after American Airlines suspended and canceled an unprecedented number of flights. At the close of last weekend, American Airlines announced that it would be cutting nearly 1,000 flights from its July flight schedule. The company cites understaffing as one of the main reasons for the move. A spokesperson for American Airlines, Andrea Koos, shared in a statement "We never want to disappoint, and feel these schedule adjustments will help ensure we can take good care of our customers and team members and minimize surprises at the airport."

The DOJ has received the letter but has not yet issued a response.