WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes a $255,000 civil penalty against United Airlines for allegedly violating the drug and alcohol regulations.

The FAA alleges United allowed a flight attendant to perform safety-sensitive duties on 47 flights between May 2024 and July 2025 without the evaluation of a substance abuse professional, without a verified negative return-to-duty drug test result, and without being subject to follow-up testing. United terminated the flight attendant in 2021 for refusal to submit to a drug test and subsequently re-hired him.

United has 30 days after receiving the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.