NFTA police deal with "irate man" over masks in Buffalo airport

In Buffalo, the NFTA says there have been complaints about masks, but NFTA Police have only had to step in a number of times.

On one occasion, police say a man was irate because people weren't wearing their masks as mandated.

EYEWITNESS NEWS I-TEAM HASLEARNED: NEARLY TWO DOZEN TSAWORKERS-- 21 OF WHOM ARELUGGAGE SCREENERS-- HAVETESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-- ATTHE "BUFFALO NIAGARAINTERNATIONAL AIRPORT"-- SINCETHE PANDEMIC BEGAN.

THAT'SRELATIVELY LOW-- COMPARED TOOTHER AIRPORTS... BUT AHEAD OFTHE HOLIDAY TRAVEL SEASON--THE WHITE HOUSE HAS EXTENDEDMASK WEARING-- AT AIRPORTS--THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF THENEW YEAR... THE FAA, TSA-- ANDEVEN LOCAL POLICE-- ARE ONHIGH ALERT AFTER REPORTS OFUNRULY PASSENGERS.NATIONWIDE-- AIRLINES HAVEREPORTED MORE THAN 47-HUNDREDINCIDENTS-- OF UNRULYPASSENGERS TO THE FEDERALAVIATION ADMINISTRATION.

THEI-TEAM HAS DISCOVERED: AS OFOCTOBER 12-- 73-PERCENT OFTHOSE AIRLINES' CLAIMS-- JUSTOVER 34- HUNDRED REPORTS--WERE MASK RELATED.

5.00.23DRANTCH: THAT'S ACROSS THECOUNTRY, BUT HERE IN BUFFALO,THOSE NUMBERS DON'T EVENCOMPARE.

HT: YEAH, IT IS ...IT'S SURPRISING A BIT, BUTUNDERSTANDABLE.

WE TRIED VERYHARD TO GET SIGNAGE UP EARLYON -- YOU HEAR THEANNOUNCEMENTS EVERY 20SECONDS, SO WE'VE DONEEVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SUREPEOPLE ARE AWARE 5.00.46 HELENTEDEROUS IS THE NFTA'SDIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

INBUFFALO, SHE SAYS THERE HAVEBEEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT MASKS--BUT NFTA POLICE HAVE ONLY HADTO STEP IN-- A NUMBER OFTIMES.

THE 7 EYEWITNESS NEWSI-TEAM HAS LEARNED: THERE HAVEBEEN EIGHT CASES SINCE MARCH2021-- WHERE POLICE HAVE BEENCALLED TO ASSIST FOR ISSUES--WITH PASSENGERS NOT WEARINGMASKS-- ON FLIGHTS-- ORTHROUGHOUT THE TERMINAL.

INFACT IN AUGUST, POLICEDESCRIBE DEALING WITH AN IRATEMAN-- ANGERED PEOPLE WERE NOTWEARING THEIR MASK ASMANDATED.

5.01.27 THOSE HAVEBEEN ESCALATED TO THE POINT OFHAVING TO HAVE POLICE.

THEREARE A LOT OF INCIDENCES AND ALOT OF COMPLAINTS THAT DON'TGET TO THAT POINT THAT WE'VESEEN.

5.01.36 THE NFTA SAYSBUFFALO HASN'T SEEN ISSUESOTHER AIRPORTS HAVE-- IN PARTBECAUSE OF THE TOTAL VOLUME OFPEOPLE PASSING THROUGH-- WITHTHE CANADIAN BORDER CLOSED TOLAND TRAVEL-- MANY CANADIANTRAVELERS ARE NOT USING THEBUFFALO AIRPORT AS THEY DIDPRE- PANDEMIC.

STILL, THE FAASAYS IT HAS ZERO TOLERANCE FORUNRULY BEHAVIOR.FINES FOR NOT WEARING A MASKWENT UP LAST MONTH-- FROM "UPTO" 15- HUNDRED DOLLARS-- TO"UP TO" THREE THOUSANDDOLLARS.

THE HIGHEST FINES AREFOR REPEAT OFFENDERS.

IT DOESNOT APPEAR ANY OF THE EIGHTCASES IN BUFFALO-- INVOLVEDARRESTS OR FINES.MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OFEQUIPMENT FROM THE CENTERPIECEOF THE BUFFALO BILLION A