Off-Duty Safety Inspector Was Allegedly Removed from a Flight After Reporting Concerns United Airlines is in the middle of an intense legal dispute with an FAA safety inspector who received a lifetime ban after he allegedly reported safety concerns while onboard as a passenger. If the carrier loses, its actions could cost it upwards of $12 million. The suit, filed on January 30 in a California federal court, stems from a May 2022 United flight out of San Francisco. FAA Safety Inspector Paul Asmus claims that he was traveling on a personal ticket when he noticed multiple issues in the cabin, ranging from a torn seat-back pocket that interfered with access to the required safety briefing card to a passenger standing in the aisle while the aircraft was taxiing. Asmus took note of the conditions on his phone, preparing to submit a standard safety report afterward.
