The Association of Flight Attendants-Communications Workers of America (AFA-CWA) results surveyed nearly 5,000 flight attendants across 30 air carriers. The survey, released in 2021, showed that 50% of respondents witnessed misconduct during boarding procedures and 13% witnessed misconduct in the gate area, indicating that many unruly incidents on the aircraft begin before boarding. TRB hosted a webinar on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM Eastern that provided practical guidance for reducing and responding to incidents of disruptive and unruly behavior in an airport setting. Presenters offered a structured approach to understanding root causes, prevention and mitigation strategies, coordinated response, and post-incident analysis.
This webinar was based on ACRP Research Report 280: Reducing and Managing Disruptive and Unruly Behavior in Airports.
This webinar was sponsored by TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program.
The slides are available.
 
Webinar agenda and presenters

• Overview of disruptive incidents at airports and understanding contributing factors – Scott Houston, Chertoff Group
• Key avenues, strategies, and considerations for prevention and mitigation of incidents – Michele Freadman, M. Freadman Consulting
• Crisis coordination and interventions – Michelle Bregel, Port of Seattle Police Department
• Question and answer session moderated by Amiel Porta, San Diego International Airport

The first 60 minutes of the webinar were for presentations and the final 30 minutes were reserved for audience questions.
 
Learning Objectives
At the end of this webinar, participants can:

• Discuss contributing factors as well as recommendations for prevention and mitigation
• Access available resources to address the issue, including training, awareness campaigns, and facility improvements
• Analyze incidents and ensure accountability using an example framework

 
American Institute of Certified Planners Certification Maintenance Credits
This webinar was approved by the American Planning Association (APA) for 1.5 Certification Maintenance (CM) Credits. CM credits provide continuing education opportunities for AICP Certified Planners to continue their professional skills and knowledge. To receive CM credits, Certified Planners should visit the TRB event webpage on American Planning Association and register their participation. If you have problems reporting your CM credits or have general questions about the CM program, please contact the APA. 
Continuing Education Units for Accredited Airport Executives
The American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) provided 1 Continuing Education Units (CEU) to accredited airport executives who attended this webinar. Claim CEUs by visiting www.aaae.org/ceu. For questions about AAAE continuing education units, please contact accreditation@aaae.org.