Date: 202109
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Flight conditions: IMC
Weather elements / visibility: Thunderstorm
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class A ZZZ1
ATC / advisory: Center ZZZ1
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Physiological - Other; Distraction; Communication Breakdown; Workload
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Passenger Misconduct
Detector: Person Flight Attendant; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: General None Reported / Taken
Contributing factors: Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: I was Captain on a flight. Once the flight reached cruise altitude I received a call from the [A Flight Attendant] that discussed with me he had a passenger with mask compliance issue and that he had spoken to the passenger several times. He also had the other crew members check on the passenger who was with a teenage child. I asked him to try again; and issue information for noncompliance if needed. Later he called me and said he had attempted to give the information to the passenger who refused it; and also refused to wear the mask. He had asked the teenager to also wear the mask; but the parent had snapped at him and said it was a child and leave them alone. The teenager was acting as if asleep; but not wearing a mask either. I took note of the names; and contacted dispatch. The dispatcher let the Customer Service (CS) know the details and we were told they would meet the flight. As the flight continued; this became more of a distraction as many other passengers were visibly upset about the passenger not wearing a mask; and several stated that it compromised their safety. Several people wanted to be moved as it wasn't a full flight; however the passenger causing the problem was in a premium seat. When we took a bathroom break; passengers approached my First Officer about the issue even though it isn't allowed for passengers to come up front when the cart is out protecting the cockpit. I noted the passenger's name; and personally made a few announcements regarding mask usage in airports and on aircraft along with my normal announcements. When we arrived at ZZZ a CS agent met the passengers. I debriefed this CS agent as I departed who said the passenger also wouldn't take any info from him; and was not cooperative. He stated he would send the names and info to security and that the couple would likely be banned from travel on our airline. I do hope this is followed through on because it was a distraction and I would say to the point of a safety problem as it distracted all of the crew in critical flight duties.




Synopsis: Captain reported passengers refused to obey the face mask policy in flight; which was a safety concern because of the distraction created during critical phases of flight.