The Transportation Security Administration has announced they will be resuming self defense training for airline flight attendants and pilots in the face of surging violence taking place on planes. Since the beginning of the year, according to The Federal Aviation Administration, there have been more than 3000 reports of unruly passengers on flights.

Self defense training for flight crews had been instituted after lobbying by flight attendant unions in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist hijackings. The four hour Crew Member Self-Defense course, taught by Federal Air Marshals, was halted last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however. The course is now set to resume in early July. But while Congress had originally mandated the training, as airlines balked at the cost the program became a voluntary one and only a small percentage of flight attendants are reported to participate.