VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – An investigation is underway after two KM Malta Airlines cabin crew members were permitted to operate a flight to and from Italy despite failing a pre-flight drug and alcohol screening.
The incident occurred on April 16 ahead of a Malta-Milan-Rome-Malta flight. Despite the positive results, both crew members—a man and a woman—were cleared to fly and instructed to undergo a second test at St James Hospital after returning to Malta. The flight’s captain was reportedly not informed of the failed test and was instead told the crew was fit for duty.
The issue was not immediately reported to Transport Malta. It only came to light after internal pressure, prompting the airline’s management to notify the authority. Transport Malta has since launched an investigation, though it has yet to publicly respond to multiple queries.
The Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) later confirmed the breach to its members and advised them to avoid further testing until company policies were revised. This directive was lifted after ALPA received certain assurances from KM Malta Airlines.
Aviation experts have warned that discontinuing random tests violates European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations, which mandate strict drug and alcohol testing protocols for airline crew. It remains unclear whether any disciplinary actions have been taken, and no one from senior airline management has accepted responsibility for the breach.
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(ITALPRESS)