Gretchün Ciluzzi and her mother experienced a terrifying incident on a United flight in March 2023 when a man allegedly attempted to open an emergency door and turned aggressive towards passengers and the crew, causing chaos for over an hour.
The Air Marshal National Council has raised concerns that airline passengers are left vulnerable as air marshals are reassigned to work on immigration enforcement along the southwest border, a task they are not trained to handle.
Ciluzzi, who was onboard the flight, felt compelled to intervene when no one else seemed to be taking action to calm the aggressive passenger down, despite her lack of formal training in such situations.
Despìte her own nervousness about flying, Ciluzzi decided to speak to the man in an effort to stop his disruptive behavior and reassure scared passengers.
She was even captured on video interacting with him, urging him to cease his actions that were causing distress to those onboard.
Air marshals reassigned to the border
According to Ciluzzi and the Air Marshal National Council, the reassignment of air marshals to immigration duties along the U.S.-Mexico border is causing concerns.
Members of the council argue that their role is to protect passengers in the air, not to perform tasks such as border patrol duties.
The reassignments began in 2019 on a voluntary basis and later became part of regular operations, resulting in some air marshals being deployed multiple times to the border, affecting their ability to safeguard high-risk flights.
During their border assignments, air marshals find themselves conducting tasks like perimeter checks and distributing supplies, activities which some view as unnecessary and diverting resources from their primary mission.
One air marshal shared his experience of long hours with minimal activity at the border, questioning the purpose of their presence in such circumstances.
Assessment of reassignments
Recent reports indicate that the redeployment of air marshals to the border has not been formally evaluated for its effectiveness.
Despite legislative efforts to recall air marshals from the southwest border, some continue to be involved in border security operations, resulting in significant financial costs for agencies like Customs and Border Protection.
The lack of clear objectives and performance metrics in these reassignments makes it challenging to determine their impact on in-flight security.
Republican lawmakers have expressed concerns that the diversion of air marshals to immigration enforcement may compromise airline passenger safety, with incidents of passenger aggression increasing in recent times.
Senator Ted Cruz criticized the use of air marshals at the border, highlighting potential risks to public safety due to this strategic shift.
Efforts are underway to reassess the current practice and ensure the protection of both border security and airline passengers.
Ciluzzi’s firsthand experience on the flight underscored the impact of such reassignments on passenger safety, leading to heightened anxiety and fears among travelers.
She expressed lingering concerns about flight safety and the need for reassurances to regain confidence in air travel, reflecting the broader implications of reallocating air marshals from their traditional roles.