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Subscribe to RSSThe Federal Aviation Administration announced today that it is proposing a $584,375 civil penalty against United Airlines for allegedly violating regulations for drug and alcohol testing of "safety-sensitive" employees.
Paul Turk, a FAA spokesperson, declined to specify at what airports the employees worked or in what capacity. "Safety-sensitive" workers are generally considered people "who have access to planes or work on them," Turk said. This could include pilots, flight attendants, ground crew and dispatchers.
The FAA alleged that United transferred 13 individuals to safety-sensitive positions without performing pre-employment drug tests and receiving verified negative test results. The agency is also asking the airline to correct its method of randomly selecting workers for drug and alcohol testing so that it is "scientifically valid."
The FAA warned United in 2006 and 2008 that the carrier's method failed to ensure that each flight crew member had an equal chance of being picked.
A 2009 inspection uncovered the airline's failure to test the 13 individuals, which triggered an investigation of United's practices and resulted in the proposed civil penalty announced today.
United has 30 days to respond to the FAA's claim. "Safety is United’s top priority," United spokesman Mike Trevino told msnbc.com. "We are reviewing the letter and will cooperate fully with the FAA to resolve their concerns."
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Rebecca Ruiz is a senior editor at msnbc.com. Follow her on Twitter.
Leave a Comment:
I don't understand the penalty process, is there a common price sheet somewhere they go by?
There is a set price but depending on the violation and if the FAA feels you are trying to get around the law by only drug testing little old ladies and or substituting test samples with someone else's sample the fine can vary. Also the fine can vary according the size of the airlines or business being fined. The fine can also vary if in the process of skirting one law you break another such as not testing the illegals. There again the cost of a fine can vary if: the airport is next to a farm, construction site, a hotel, factory or any other company that also hires illegal's.
Fly the friendly ( because they are high and drunk) and ( because they are high and drunk) unsafe Sky's of United.
Unbelievable!
What an assumption by someone with no evidence, maybe you are high or drunk right now?? The article states clearly that the people in question were not drug tested, it does NOT state they tested positive for drugs. Read the whole thing with some comprehension.
I fly all the time for business and the people at United are the best. The airline just needs to get the procedure right to be in compliance...............
Obviously you do not fly United if you say they are the best. Take it from an 100KI flyer that switched airlines from United...best decision I ever made.
I fly United Mark, they are the best on my routes.........
Hey everybody guess what? Congressmen and women don't have to take a drug test, but I had to take one (government-mandated by the way) during my application to a minimum wage position at Target.
Nobody finds this odd? The least bit unfair? Even a smidge nonsensical?
Nobody?
Congress should have to be tested just like everyone else. The laws they pass require us to be tested then reason says they should be also.
Doubt it will happen though.
Just think what could be accomplished with a sober, not under the influence, congress!
I'm not accusing any of them of doing drugs, its more the principle of the thing, really.
What bothers me is that the FAA will not disclose the affected airports or the type of functions that the employees involved were performing. As a traveler I would think it important to know where and by whom my safety might be compromised. Lacking that information I would most certainly not fly United.
I must, at this point, consider that the FAA is not protecting the consumer(s) and is therefor not performing one of the primary functions of its charter.
It used to be that you could get on a plane and not worry about getting to your destination. Now flying anywhere has become a risk assessment issue. Should I fly or instead drive or take a train if possible? First you heard reports of pilots flying when they had little sleep or falling asleep on trans-ocean flights now this drug testing failure. I found a site where you can share your travel adventures at airlineslodgingetc.com
Another reason why the airplane industry provides nothing but "security theater"...get groped at the gate while drunks have unfettered access to the planes.
Why Fly?
All this drug testing bull@!$%# is just a money making scam anyway. Too many ways to availible to mask any residue. If you fail a drug test you are stupid.
If you use dope you are stupid ! Fixed that for you. why do you think they call it dope?
Not true .. My boss requires a drug test and he does not give you time to study and after any work injury they require a drug test again no time to study. No running water no stop to the store just go straight to the hospital just you and a nurse .
I think all the airlines should do immediate testing on all pilots and stewardesses. With all the news of a passenger getting kicked off the plane for using the f word and another for wearing saggy pants. I think they have taken this security thing to the extreme. Don't let me see any cleavage on a stewardess or I'm gonna complain, let's see if that gets them booted.....
I believe you,re joking but in all honesty i believe you right . I can live without saggy pants and cleavage as long as i get where i need to go safely with sober professionals doing the job there paid to do .
The introduction of the civil penalty is a measure that I agree with. It is vital for FAA to perform <a href="">pre-employment faa drug testing</a> especially for the safety of its employee and the passengers. A pertinent method is randomly selecting workers for drug and alcohol testing, which gives good results.