The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $255,000 civil penalty against United Airlines, alleging the carrier violated federal drug and alcohol testing regulations by allowing a flight attendant to work despite an incomplete return-to-duty process.
According to the FAA, United permitted the flight attendant to perform safety-sensitive duties on 47 flights between May 2024 and July 2025 without first completing the mandatory steps required to return to such work after a prior testing issue.
The agency alleges the employee had not been evaluated by a substance abuse professional, had not produced a verified negative return-to-duty drug test, and was not enrolled in the required follow-up testing programme during that period. Federal rules impose strict conditions before an employee in a safety-sensitive role can resume duties.
The FAA further stated that the flight attendant had previously been dismissed by United in 2021 for refusing to undergo a drug test, and was later rehired. Cabin crew are classified as performing safety-sensitive functions because of their role in evacuations and onboard emergencies.
A proposed civil penalty is not a final determination. Under the FAA's process, United has an opportunity to respond to the allegations and discuss the matter with the agency before any penalty is finalised.
Drug- and alcohol-testing rules for safety-sensitive aviation employees are a long-standing part of the US regulatory framework, and the return-to-duty process is designed to ensure that any employee who has had a testing violation is properly evaluated and monitored before resuming work.
The case underscores the compliance burden airlines carry in tracking testing status across large workforces, and follows other recent FAA proposals of similar penalties against US carriers for comparable alleged lapses.
Sources: Reuters, FAA. Featured image: AI-generated by AviationShop. By James Holloway.
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