Federal officials say the incidents occurred on 11 flights and could pose safety risks to passengers and crews.
WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration is threatening a $165,000 civil penalty against Alaska Airlines for allegedly allowing intoxicated passengers to board flights nearly a dozen times within a year.
Federal regulations prohibit airlines from allowing passengers who appear intoxicated to board an aircraft because of potential safety risks.
The FAA claims the airline allowed the violations on 11 flights between February 2024 and February 2025.
Alaska Airlines said in a statement obtained by Alaska Public Media that it fully participated in an FAA audit examining the airline’s policies and practices related to intoxicated passengers.
The airline said it has since made “meaningful changes,” including enhanced training for flight attendants and customer service agents.
“We respect the results of the FAA’s audit and are confident in the changes that have been in place for the last year to ensure our shared standards are being met,” the airline said in the statement.
The FAA announced the proposed penalty Tuesday and said Alaska Airlines has 30 days after receiving the agency’s enforcement letter to respond.
The FAA told Alaska Public Media the airline can dispute the allegations, negotiate with the agency or pay the proposed penalty. If the airline does not respond within 30 days, it could lose the opportunity to challenge the fine.
Alaska Airlines did not say whether it plans to contest the proposed penalty.
