LarryJ

The procedures are set by regulation. The unions ensure that the procedures are properly followed and applied fairly.

At a previous airline, a pilot was notified of a random drug test at the end of a day of classroom groundschool. That airline's procedure was to send the pilot to the local hospital for the test. He drove straight to the hospital but the hospital worker told him that they didn't due the tests after 5pm (or whatever time it was). He went home. He was nearly charged with a refusal to provide a sample (you have to report immediately when notified then provide a sample within a short timeframe). If it hadn't been for the work of the union, he would have lost his pilot's license, medical, and been terminated. The union was able to argue that the correct notification process had not been followed as it didn't direct him to the proper place at the hospital where they would have performed the test at any time of the day or night. The union then sent out information about the incident to the rest of the pilots to ensure that we understood that, once notified, we have give a sample even if such obstacles are encountered.

Another incident, at that same airline, involved a pilot whose initial test came back positive. He insisted that he hadn't used any drugs and paid for additional tests that were all negative. The company fired him and the FAA revoked his pilots license and medical. The union was able to show that the lab that processed his sample had broken the chain of custody and that there was no records to show that the sample which was positive belonged to the pilot. The lab also could not identify his second sample (a split-sample is required and, after a positive result on the first, the second sample is tested by a separate lab for verification). The union won the pilot's NTSB appeal and his pilots license and medical were reinstated. The company, however, would not rehire him. The union grieved the firing with the NLRB but lost. Last I heard he was selling used cars.

The process at UAL runs much better.

nomad420

Kind of surprised they even give them even that much of a heads up and yes I have heard that announcement many times over the years. I had been told that this is what it meant but to be honest did/couldn't believe it.

fahrradman

This is a good thing. When flight attendants say they are there for our safety, this is true. They are highly trained for situations like emergency evacuations and I for one am glad for this. A lot of people see them as glorified servers and while they do perform a service function 99.99999% of the time, if I'm ever in an emergency evacuation situation I will be very grateful for their training. So yes, I'm glad they are subject to random testing as they are safety professionals.

BTW, treat your FA with friendliness and respect and almost always it will be reciprocated.