When you’re sitting on a plane waiting for takeoff, it’s easy to assume the crew in the cockpit is 100% ready to fly. But every once in a while, a news headline pops up about a pilot arrested for being under the influence, and it understandably makes people uneasy. So, how often does drunk piloting really happen—and should you be worried about it?
Drunk piloting is extremely rare
Let’s start with the facts. There are about 90,000 commercial flights around the world every day. That’s more than 8 million passengers flying daily, and almost all of those flights are operated by pilots who are fully sober and medically cleared to fly.
In the U.S., random alcohol testing is conducted on thousands of pilots each year. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data, only 10 out of 12,480 tested pilots failed random alcohol tests last year. That’s less than 0.1%, making it one of the most strictly monitored professions out there.
Pilots must follow the “eight hours from bottle to throttle” rule, which means they cannot drink alcohol within eight hours of flying. Even then, the maximum allowable blood alcohol content for pilots is 0.04%, half of the legal driving limit in the U.S.
When incidents happen, they make headlines
Despite how rare it is, pilot intoxication incidents do happen—and when they do, they’re widely publicized. One of the most recent cases involved a Delta Airlines pilot in July 2025 who was pulled from a transatlantic flight in Stockholm after failing a breathalyzer test. The flight was canceled, and the passengers were compensated under European travel laws.
In 2016 alone, several incidents made headlines:
Two United Airlines pilots were arrested in Scotland just before flying a transatlantic route.
A co-pilot for a charter plane in Michigan tested four times over the legal driving limit after his captain reported suspicious behavior.
An American Airlines co-pilot was removed from a Detroit-to-Philadelphia flight and later placed on probation.
And back in 1990, one of the most notorious cases occurred when three Northwest Airlines pilots flew a commercial flight the morning after a night of heavy drinking. All were later convicted and served prison time.
What happens after a pilot is caught?
Surprisingly, many pilots caught drinking aren’t permanently grounded. Since the 1970s, the FAA has run a program called HIMS (Human Intervention Motivation Study), which allows pilots to return to flying after undergoing treatment and passing medical evaluations. Over 5,300 pilots have successfully completed this program and returned to commercial aviation.
That said, each case is treated seriously. Arrests, suspensions, and sometimes criminal charges are immediate, and airlines are quick to remove pilots from duty, often before any formal charges are filed.
If you’re a frequent flier and feeling uneasy about the idea of pilot alcohol use, it helps to know that aviation safety culture is one of the most stringent in the world. From rigorous FAA rules to airline-specific safety procedures and peer monitoring, multiple layers exist to catch problems early—often before a plane ever leaves the ground.
International differences in enforcement
Rules can vary depending on the country. For instance, in India, all pilots and cabin crew are tested before every flight. In 2024, 43 Indian pilots tested positive for alcohol before departure, according to their civil aviation authority. By contrast, most Western countries only perform random or suspicion-based testing.
The European Union has also tightened enforcement. EU Regulation 2018/1042 mandates random alcohol testing for pilots and flight attendants operating in or out of member states.
With that in mind, it’s helpful to stay informed while traveling, especially on long-haul international flights. A good noise-canceling headset like the Sony WH-1000XM5 can help ease anxiety and make your flight more comfortable while you focus on staying relaxed and alert during your journey.
Why it feels more alarming than it is
There’s something psychologically different about flying compared to other modes of transportation. As travel expert Johnny Jet once said, “If you’re in a taxi and think your driver is drunk, you can ask them to pull over. You can’t do that with a pilot.”
That lack of control can make even a single rare case feel much bigger than it is. But in reality, drunk driving kills around 10,000 people every year in the U.S., while deaths from pilot intoxication are exceedingly rare. Only a handful of aviation accidents have ever been directly linked to alcohol in the cockpit, such as the 1977 Japan Air Lines cargo crash and a 2008 Aeroflot accident in Russia.
And with modern airline safety systems, pilot check-ins, and co-pilot monitoring, it’s very difficult for someone impaired to actually operate a commercial aircraft unnoticed.
Still, if you want extra peace of mind on your next trip, consider bringing a travel journal or guided wellness planner to help center your thoughts and reduce pre-flight nerves. These small routines can be surprisingly effective in making the journey feel smoother.
You could also invest in a reliable carry-on bag with built-in organization, like this compact travel spinner, to keep all your documents, headphones, and comfort essentials in one place because when you’re prepared, travel feels less stressful overall.
Final thoughts
Drunk piloting is incredibly rare and usually caught before any harm is done. Thanks to strict regulations, proactive airline safety protocols, and global monitoring systems, commercial aviation remains one of the safest ways to travel. And while headlines may stir fear, the data and systems in place should give you confidence every time you board a plane.
If you’re curious about how these rules vary by country or want to understand airline safety programs better, take the time to read airline policies before your next trip. It’s one more way to fly smarter, and more confidently.