Of the more than 2,400 incidents of noncompliance received by the TSA, two passengers involved were the only ones who did not challenge the $250 fines they each incurred. Its report came amid widespread opposition to the federal mask mandate – with passengers being involved in scuffles with aircrew.

According to data obtained by The Hill, TSA received 2,413 referrals of possible non-compliance incidents. It completed investigations into 1,793 incidents, and had issued more than 1,690 warning notices. Thirty-eight matters were meanwhile referred for civil penalties, with only two individuals agreeing to settle the fine.

Different experts put forward ideas as to why a larger percentage of people refused to pay penalties imposed by the TSA. MIT Sloan School of Management's Retsef Levi said: "One explanation could be that the people who already violated it to start with are people who feel very strongly to begin with and don't think the federal government could even mandate something like that. They do it partially as a protest, so it's not surprising they haven't paid the fine."