FAA CONTINUES TO PENALIZE U.S. AIR CARRIERS FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL VIOLATIONS
August 15, 2026
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On July 9, 2026, the FAA proposed a $65,000 civil penalty against Eastern Air Express over concerns that Eastern allowed several dozen employees to perform safety-sensitive functions without subjecting them to FAA-required random drug and alcohol testing. Pursuant to FAA regulations, carriers are required to conduct random drug and alcohol testing of all safety-sensitive employees—including pilots, flight attendants, aircraft dispatchers, and maintenance personnel. The minimum annual random drug testing rate is set at 50 percent of covered aviation employees. According to the FAA, Eastern Air Express permitted fourteen pilots, seven flight attendants, and five aircraft maintenance personnel to perform safety-sensitive functions between June and November 2024 even though those employees were not subject to required random drug and alcohol testing. In recent months, we have reported several other FAA enforcement actions undertaken for alleged noncompliance with drug and alcohol testing requirements so U.S. and foreign air carriers should be aware that this seems to be an issue of interest for regulators.
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