‘Nobody ever put hands on me before’: flight attendants on the air rage epidemic

Although travelers' hissy fits are nothing new, incidences of bad behavior have spiked amid the tense landscape of Covid-19

Alexander Clark had only just boarded the Los Angeles-bound United airliner when the man seated behind him became incensed. As Clark tells it, a flight attendant had repeatedly asked the passenger to alternately stop talking on his phone or don a face mask when, after the fourth ask, the passenger snapped.

I will find your name, date of birth, and address! I will know your social security number before I get off this plane!" yelled the passenger, who appeared to be in his 30s. He leapt to his feet mid-shout, spittle arcing from his maskless mouth, and stomped over to the male flight attendant.