Pilots, unlike cats, are not amused by shiny laser pointers.
The FAA has unfortunately reported on a significant increase in the number of pilots reporting laser strikes in 2020, even as fewer planes were flying due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Last year, there were a total of 6,852 laser incidents reported to the FAA, according to information posted on the administration's website. This number is up about 12% from 2019, when there 6,136 reported cases. What makes this increase more noteworthy, and also concerning, is that it occurred during a year which saw a 60% decrease in the total number of flights flown, Forbes notes.