Collapse to view only § 46506. Application of certain criminal laws to acts on aircraft
- § 46501. Definitions
- § 46502. Aircraft piracy
- § 46503. Interference with security screening personnel
- § 46504. Interference with flight crew members and attendants
- § 46505. Carrying a weapon or explosive on an aircraft
- § 46506. Application of certain criminal laws to acts on aircraft
- § 46507. False information and threats
§ 46501. DefinitionsIn this chapter—
(1) “aircraft in flight” means an aircraft from the moment all external doors are closed following boarding—
(A) through the moment when one external door is opened to allow passengers to leave the aircraft; or
(B) until, if a forced landing, competent authorities take over responsibility for the aircraft and individuals and property on the aircraft.
(2) “special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States” includes any of the following aircraft in flight:
(A) a civil aircraft of the United States.
(B) an aircraft of the armed forces of the United States.
(C) another aircraft in the United States.
(D) another aircraft outside the United States—
(i) that has its next scheduled destination or last place of departure in the United States, if the aircraft next lands in the United States;
(ii) on which an individual commits an offense (as defined in the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft) if the aircraft lands in the United States with the individual still on the aircraft; or
(iii) against which an individual commits an offense (as defined in subsection (d) or (e) of article I, section I of the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation) if the aircraft lands in the United States with the individual still on the aircraft.
(E) any other aircraft leased without crew to a lessee whose principal place of business is in the United States or, if the lessee does not have a principal place of business, whose permanent residence is in the United States.
(3) an individual commits an offense (as defined in the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft) when the individual, when on an aircraft in flight—
(A) by any form of intimidation, unlawfully seizes, exercises control of, or attempts to seize or exercise control of, the aircraft; or
(B) is an accomplice of an individual referred to in subclause (A) of this clause.
(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1240.)
§ 46502. Aircraft piracy
(a)In Special Aircraft Jurisdiction.—
(1) In this subsection—
(A) “aircraft piracy” means seizing or exercising control of an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States by force, violence, threat of force or violence, or any form of intimidation, and with wrongful intent.
(B) an attempt to commit aircraft piracy is in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States although the aircraft is not in flight at the time of the attempt if the aircraft would have been in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States had the aircraft piracy been completed.
(2) An individual committing or attempting or conspiring to commit aircraft piracy—
(A) shall be imprisoned for at least 20 years; or
(B) notwithstanding section 3559(b) of title 18, if the death of another individual results from the commission or attempt, shall be put to death or imprisoned for life.
(b)Outside Special Aircraft Jurisdiction.—
(1) An individual committing or conspiring to commit an offense (as defined in the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft) on an aircraft in flight outside the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States—
(A) shall be imprisoned for at least 20 years; or
(B) notwithstanding section 3559(b) of title 18, if the death of another individual results from the commission or attempt, shall be put to death or imprisoned for life.
(2) There is jurisdiction over the offense in paragraph (1) if—
(A) a national of the United States was aboard the aircraft;
(B) an offender is a national of the United States; or
(C) an offender is afterwards found in the United States.
(3) For purposes of this subsection, the term “national of the United States” has the meaning prescribed in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)).
(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1241; Pub. L. 103–429, § 6(61), Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4385; Pub. L. 104–132, title VII, §§ 721(a), 723(b), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1298, 1300.)
§ 46503. Interference with security screening personnel
(a)In General.—An individual in an area within a commercial service airport in the United States who, by assaulting a Federal, airport, or air carrier employee who has security duties within the airport, interferes with the performance of the duties of the employee or lessens the ability of the employee to perform those duties, shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both. If the individual used a dangerous weapon in committing the assault or interference, the individual may be imprisoned for any term of years or life imprisonment.
(b)Airport and Air Carrier Employees.—For purposes of this section, an airport or air carrier employee who has security duties within the airport includes an airport or air carrier employee performing ticketing, check-in, baggage claim, or boarding functions.
(Added Pub. L. 107–71, title I, § 114(a), Nov. 19, 2001, 115 Stat. 623; amended Pub. L. 118–63, title IV, § 436, May 16, 2024, 138 Stat. 1176.)
§ 46504. Interference with flight crew members and attendants
An individual on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States who, by assaulting or intimidating a flight crew member or flight attendant of the aircraft, interferes with the performance of the duties of the member or attendant or lessens the ability of the member or attendant to perform those duties, or attempts or conspires to do such an act, shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both. However, if a dangerous weapon is used in assaulting or intimidating the member or attendant, the individual shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life.
(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1244; Pub. L. 107–56, title VIII, § 811(i), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 382.)
§ 46505. Carrying a weapon or explosive on an aircraft
(a)Definition.—In this section, “loaded firearm” means a starter gun or a weapon designed or converted to expel a projectile through an explosive, that has a cartridge, a detonator, or powder in the chamber, magazine, cylinder, or clip.
(b)General Criminal Penalty.—An individual shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both, if the individual—
(1) when on, or attempting to get on, an aircraft in, or intended for operation in, air transportation or intrastate air transportation, has on or about the individual or the property of the individual a concealed dangerous weapon that is or would be accessible to the individual in flight;
(2) has placed, attempted to place, or attempted to have placed a loaded firearm on that aircraft in property not accessible to passengers in flight; or
(3) has on or about the individual, or has placed, attempted to place, or attempted to have placed on that aircraft, an explosive or incendiary device.
(c)Criminal Penalty Involving Disregard for Human Life.—An individual who willfully and without regard for the safety of human life, or with reckless disregard for the safety of human life, violates subsection (b) of this section, shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both, and, if death results to any person, shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life.
(d)Nonapplication.—Subsection (b)(1) of this section does not apply to—
(1) a law enforcement officer of a State or political subdivision of a State, or an officer or employee of the United States Government, authorized to carry arms in an official capacity;
(2) another individual the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration or the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration by regulation authorizes to carry a dangerous weapon in air transportation or intrastate air transportation; or
(3) an individual transporting a weapon (except a loaded firearm) in baggage not accessible to a passenger in flight if the air carrier was informed of the presence of the weapon.
(e)Conspiracy.—If two or more persons conspire to violate subsection (b) or (c), and one or more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each of the parties to such conspiracy shall be punished as provided in such subsection.
(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1244; Pub. L. 104–132, title VII, § 705(b), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1295; Pub. L. 107–56, title VIII, §§ 810(g), 811(j), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 381, 382; Pub. L. 107–71, title I, § 140(d)(8), Nov. 19, 2001, 115 Stat. 642; Pub. L. 115–254, div. K, title I, § 1991(h)(1), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3645.)
§ 46506. Application of certain criminal laws to acts on aircraft
An individual on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States who commits an act that—
(1) if committed in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States (as defined in section 7 of title 18) would violate section 113, 114, 661, 662, 1111, 1112, 1113, or 2111 or chapter 109A of title 18, shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned under that section or chapter, or both; or
(2) if committed in the District of Columbia would violate section 9 of the Act of July 29, 1892 (D.C. Code § 22-1112), shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned under section 9 of the Act, or both.
(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1245.)
§ 46507. False information and threats
An individual shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both, if the individual—
(1) knowing the information to be false, willfully and maliciously or with reckless disregard for the safety of human life, gives, or causes to be given, under circumstances in which the information reasonably may be believed, false information about an alleged attempt being made or to be made to do an act that would violate section 46502(a), 46504, 46505, or 46506 of this title; or
(2)
(A) threatens to violate section 46502(a), 46504, 46505, or 46506 of this title, or causes a threat to violate any of those sections to be made; and
(B) has the apparent determination and will to carry out the threat.
(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1245.)