FAA: American Airlines Didn’t Follow Drug-Testing Program (NBC 5 Dallas Fort Worth)

The Federal Aviation Administration said American Airlines did not follow its drug-testing program, according to a document obtained by NBC 5.The FAA fined American Airlines $1.7 million Thursday for violating drug- and alcohol-testing procedures involving several dozen flight attendants and other employees, including one pilot.According to the letter the FAA sent to American, the airline gave advanced notice of random drug tests and failed to penalize employees who tested positive.”American simply didn’cheek by jowl enforce the system, and therefore the system is feeble,” related aviation consultant Denny Kelly.NBC 5 showed the FAA document to Kelly, who said the influence caught the airline “once anew in a compromising position.”"The picture it paints, is, on paper, they be favored with a in some degree profit program. But in reality they really don’t follow it,” he said.The FAA cited American for failing to follow up 174 times after 35 employees pure positive for drugs.One pilot tested positive for drugs four spells, and a mechanic tested positive 12 ages.The FAA said American allowed workers to continue performing “safety-sensitive functions.”The agency also claimed American “provided opportunities for employees to avoid tests” and did nothing to 25 employees who refused follow-up tests.”One guide that’s inebriated is too many,” Kelly said. “And if you have ‘X’ number of mechanical procedures performed upon the body an airplane, and one of them was performed by a mechanic who was impaired, that’s too many. You can’face to face do it. It’s rightful that simple.”The FAA said Thursday it was seeking a total of $7.1 million for the testing violations and for safety problems.American did not return phone calls Friday for a response.But the airline did freedom a statement Thursday, saying it does not compound with the FAA’s findings.