Allegiant could be fined for safety violations

The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a $266,375 fine against Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air for alleged violations of drug and alcohol testing regulations.

The agency that enforces aviation regulations failed to include the random drug and alcohol testing of 25 employees it hired or transferred into safety-sensitive positions.

“Safety-sensitive positions” could include pilots, maintenance workers or any employee that would move an aircraft.

FAA officials did not specify what positions the untested employees held and individual names of employees were redacted in the “notice of proposed civ- il penalty” the agency distributed last month.

“The safety of our passengers and crew is always our No. 1 priority at Allegiant,” Eric Gust, Allegiant’s vice president of safety and security, said in a statement issued following the issuance of the FAA notice.

“We are currently reviewing all of the records and events associated with the FAA allegation, however, our initial assessment is that the safety of our operation was not compromised,” he said. “We are confident that after further investigation and conference with the FAA we will be able to resolve all of the allegations to the satisfaction of the FAA.”

According to the FAA notice, 11 employees performed safety-sensitive duties on multiple occasions when they were not in the random pools of tested workers. The agency also alleges another employee’s follow-up test was not directly observed after a previous positive drug test result as required by U.S. Department of Transportation rules and that employee performed multiple safety-sensitive duties following the improperly observed test.

According to the notice, employees were transferred or hired in pools that weren’t tested as early as Oct. 1, 2005. Most of the hires and transfers occurred in 2013 and 2014.

Airline officials are scheduled to meet with regulators later this month and at that time, the agency will consider whether to assess the civil penalty. Contact reporter Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Find @RickVelotta on Twitter.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL