# Tiger Karen on a plane aka Idiots on a plane don't realize the check \[fine\] is painful **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 15, 2021, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086 "2021-12-15T04:00:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/1 "2021-12-15T04:00:38Z")
We all see the headlines of folks going mental on a plane about masks and stuff. Well, high school buddy is married to a someone from a Chinese speaking part of the world. They have documented mental issues, and documented mental ER incidents in the past. Anyhoo, prior to getting on an international flight from the US to a neighboring country, they kinda lost it going through security at an US airport. Evidently, a lot of drama ensued, maybe even an arrest or that might have been the threat of an arrest. Once on the plane, but before take-off, wasn’t wearing the mask properly for reasons. Attendant asked to pull up the mask. Attendant asked a second time and was spat upon. Pilot intervenes and got a hand carry thrown at him. Passengers all had to dis-embark since Tiger Karen refused to leave the plane. Tiger Karen then taken off the plane, arrested, into the downtown city, processed and cut loose in the middle of the night. Well, fast forward a few weeks and the Federal Government check came due. I guessed $10k. My buddy said it was to the tune of $25k, and could have been up to $36k. 😲 Given documented mental health challenges it is likely to be reduced. I am surprised DHS hasn’t publicized the size of the fines for being a jerk in an airport or on a plane. Methinks there would be a lot less flight drama if anti mask rights perp knew it was gonna cost a new car. BTW, Tiger Karen is my made up Asia Tiger Mom + Karen = Tiger Karen (if you’re familiar with the breed. I happen to not yet be divorced from one). When some comedian makes this famous you can point it out to me here. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/2 "2021-12-15T09:08:11Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Well, high school buddy is married to a someone from a Chinese speaking part of the world. They have documented mental issues, and documented mental ER incidents in the past. As best I can figure, this paragraph is a perfect example of why “they” is a bad choice for the gender-neutral third person pronoun. Are you saying they BOTH have mental issues, or just one of them? ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/3 "2021-12-15T12:27:42Z")
The airlines or even the PSA people should definitely advertise the 25K fine for being a jerk on a plane. I bet the burgeoning unruly passenger problem would plummet by at least half. _Jerks on a Plane_ would make an awesome movie. And then the success of the movie would spike the jerk passenger problem right back up again. Oh well. More government revenue. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/4 "2021-12-15T12:42:24Z")
"In other news, airline companies somehow made a record profit last year. " (Kidding) ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/5 "2021-12-15T12:47:42Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > _Jerks on a Plane_ would make an awesome movie. Enough is enough! I have had it with these motherfucking jerks on this motherfucking plane. Everybody strap in, I’m about to open some windows! ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/6 "2021-12-15T12:58:47Z")
I would have understood the OP a lot more easily if the post had used the word “bill” or “fine”, instead of “check”. For 2 reasons: (a) The title of the thread made me think that the airline staff was checking the masks in a painful way. (b) Was the Federal Govt giving Tiger Karen a check (of between $10K-$36K) for the pain she enduring during the mask check? I had to reread it a few times to figure out that the OP was talking about how much they **fined** her. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/7 "2021-12-15T13:33:38Z")
It’s making the news. From CNN last month: > **[Unruly passengers face nearly $162,000 in new fines, FAA says | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/faa-unruly-passenger-fines-november-2021/index.html)** > > The Federal Aviation Administration announced fines for eight passengers on Monday totaling $161,823, the third highest set of fines since the agency announced a zero-tolerance policy for unruly on-board behavior earlier this year. StG ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/8 "2021-12-15T16:15:53Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > I would have understood the OP a lot more easily if the post had used the word “bill” or “fine”, instead of “check”. Yes, I found that paragraph really confusing. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/9 "2021-12-15T16:32:09Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Yes, I found that paragraph really confusing. I found the entire thing very confusing. Is his friend’s wife Tiger Karen? > [@Senegoid](#): > > this paragraph is a perfect example of why “they” is a bad choice for the gender-neutral third person pronoun. Are you saying they BOTH have mental issues, or just one of them? It was more difficult (for me) when sentences didn’t even include a pronoun. "Once on the plane, but before take-off, wasn’t wearing the mask properly for reasons. " Who? “Well, fast forward a few weeks and the Federal Government check came due. I guessed $10k. My buddy said it was to the tune of $25k, and could have been up to $36k. 😲 Given documented mental health challenges it is likely to be reduced.” No idea what any of this is about. " Tiger Karen is my made up Asia Tiger Mom + Karen = Tiger Karen (if you’re familiar with the breed" Huh? I don’t know, maybe rewrite the OP so it’s a bit more coherent. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/10 "2021-12-15T16:48:10Z")
Yeah, I really was trying to figure out why this woman would be getting a check from the government. I thought it had something to do with the stimulus checks. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/11 "2021-12-15T16:57:38Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > I would have understood the OP a lot more easily if the post had used the word “bill” or “fine”, instead of “check”. Yeah. A solid bit of confusing. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/12 "2021-12-15T17:03:33Z")
Thank you all for your support, really. I often have difficulty “reading between the lines”, and I usually need things to be more blatant than other people can handle. I’m relieved to hear that I’m not the only one who had trouble parsing this particular piece. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/13 "2021-12-15T17:12:26Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > (a) The title of the thread made me think that the airline staff was checking the masks in a painful way. I initially interpreted it as the “tickle your brain” nasal swab. I could see freaking out at the airport about that if someone didn’t know it was coming 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/14 "2021-12-15T17:14:02Z")
Title is a bit confusing for the reasons others have mentioned, but once I got to the part “…check came due” I understood. My two cents: “Tiger Karen” seems kind of weird / irrelevant. “Tiger” is telling us she’s Asian, correct? Are Asian women notably feistier (honest question; I’m not familiar with the term) And I assume “Karen” is telling us her age range? As a “Karen aged” person myself, I’m getting a little tired of the reference. But enough of the critique. I shudder to think of all the other scenes this person has created (and how much the couple has had to pay in fines and whatnot). ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/15 "2021-12-15T17:24:31Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > “Tiger” is telling us she’s Asian, correct? Are Asian women notably feistier (honest question; I’m not familiar with the term) > **[Tiger parenting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_parenting)** > > Tiger parenting is a form of strict parenting, whereby parents are highly invested in ensuring their children's success. Specifically, tiger parents push their children to attain high levels of academic achievement or success in high-status extracurricular activities such as music or sports. > The term "tiger mother" ("tiger mom") was brought to public attention by Yale Law School professor Amy Chua in her 2011 memoir Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. A largely Chinese-American concept, the term ... ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/16 "2021-12-15T17:32:19Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Pilot intervenes and got a hand carry thrown at him. Is this a carry-on bag or mis-spelled “hankie” ? ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/17 "2021-12-15T17:39:03Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Is this a carry-on bag or mis-spelled “hankie” ? My presumption was that it is a handheld carryon bag. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/18 "2021-12-15T18:56:06Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > And I assume “Karen” is telling us her age range? No, Karen is describing her actions and attitude. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/19 "2021-12-15T18:59:46Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > I’m relieved to hear that I’m not the only one who had trouble parsing this particular piece. I thought the way the OP was written was absolutely check. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2021, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086/20 "2021-12-15T19:16:36Z")
So she’s a “tiger mom” and a “Karen” but her airport/airplane behavior is because she has documented mental health issues? I’m confused about how these terms are being used here. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tiger-karen-on-a-plane-aka-idiots-on-a-plane-dont-realize-the-check-fine-is-painful/956086.md?page=2)