KM Malta Airlines rejects reports of crew members failing drug and alcohol tests
The airline said both crew members had been cleared for flying by an attending medical practitioner
Updated 10.31am with Transport Malta statement
KM Malta Airlines has rejected reports that two of its cabin crew members failed a drug and alcohol pre-flight test, saying both staff members tested negative for each substance.
The airline was responding to media reports that first surfaced Sunday, when Newsbook reported that an investigation had been launched after two KM cabin crew members failed a spot-check test before flights from Malta to Italy.
In a statement Tuesday, the airline said that during tests of crew members over April 15 and 16 for psychoactive substances, “Two of the 15 tests conducted resulted in a ‘non-negative’ [result]. Both crew members tested negative for alcohol and drugs”.
“The attending medical practitioner confirmed that the positive result was not of concern and determined the two cabin crew members as being fit to fly.”
The airline said the incident had been reported to Transport Malta's Civil Aviation Directorate (CAD), which it said “issued a formal finding”, without providing more details.
“KM Malta Airlines subsequently submitted corrective measures, which were accepted by the Civil Aviation Directorate. The finding has since been closed”.
The Newsbook report noted that questions sent by the news outlet to both the airline and Transport Malta over the weeks before publication had “remained unanswered”.
It said the failed tests had been “kept under wraps until pressure mounted on the KM Malta Airlines management, which was forced to report the matter to Transport Malta”.
On Monday, the Nationalist Party called on Transport Minister Chris Bonett to explain the incident.
KM did 'not fully adhere to procedures' - TM
In a statement late on Monday, Transport Malta (TM) said a CAD investigation "found that KM Malta Airlines had not fully adhered to internal company procedures and applicable regulatory requirements in relation to the matter".
"As a result, a formal finding was issued by the CAD concerning shortcomings in the airline's management system", the authority said.
"KM Malta Airlines subsequently submitted corrective measures, which were reviewed and accepted by the CAD."