How Flight Attendants Determine If You Are Too Intoxicated To Fly

Flight attendants and gate agents look for several signs in determining whether you are fit to fly and have a lawful duty to cut you off or even deny you boarding if you appear intoxicated.

How Flight Attendants Guage Whether You Are Intoxicated

Transporting an intoxicated passenger on a US commercial flight is a Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) violation. As such, airlines have developed systems to identify when a passenger appears intoxicated.

United Airlines, for example, uses a “Traffic Light System” to gauge whether a flyer has had one too many:

Green Light – normal or near normal

Sociable
Relaxed
Happy

Yellow Light – exhibits effect of alcohol

Reduced inhibitions
Impaired judgment
Talking or laughing loudly
Being overly friendly
Arguing or baiting
Use of foul language
Increasing alcohol use
Careless with money
Possible smell of alcohol

Red Light – appearance of intoxication

Moving in slow motion
Need time to respond
Glassy-eyed
Losing train of thought
Irrational statements
Spilling drinks
Walking awkwardly
Stumbling or falling
Unable to sit upright
Slurred speech
Possible smell of alcohol

United reminds both flight attendants and gate agents that they must be on top of passengers who may intoxicated:

Customers commonly enjoy an alcoholic drink before boarding a flight. However, transporting an intoxicated customer on our flights is a Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) violation, and we must do our part to remain compliant. Flight attendants and Customer Service representatives (CSR) are jointly responsible for recognizing if a customer appears intoxicated.

The focus tends to be on alcohol because it is so readily available at airports and onboard, but rising THC levels in marijuana are also leading to most instances of cannabis intoxication.

Intoxicated passengers often make a spectacle of themselves and since the human body may react differently to alcohol at 35,000 feet than on the ground (due to the lower oxygen levels at high altitudes), it is advisable to carefully consume adult beverages onboard.