An American Airlines passenger who was duct-taped to a first-class seat over unruly behavior is being sued by the FAA for $82,000

• The FAA is suing an American Airlines passenger for $81,950 after a 2021 flight incident.
• The passenger, Heather Wells, hit a flight attendant and tried to open the cabin door, the suit says.
• Unruly passenger incidents surged in 2021, and figures still remain well above pre-pandemic levels.

A woman who was duct-taped to her seat on an American Airlines flight is facing a lawsuit from the Federal Aviation Administration.

In a complaint filed earlier this month, the FAA asked the court to enforce payment of $81,950 in civil penalties as a result of the July 2021 incident.