Malaysia Airlines cabin crew to face drug tests

Malaysia Aviation Group said Monday it will extend mandatory drug screening to about 2,840 Malaysia Airlines cabin crew after all Malaysia Airlines pilots tested negative following a pilot's arrest in Indonesia.

The move follows the arrest last month of a 39-year-old Malaysia Airlines pilot at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport shortly after he arrived from Kuala Lumpur. Indonesian customs officials said his urine test was positive for methamphetamine, MDMA and cocaine.

The pilot was also accused of trying to smuggle more than 70,000 ecstasy tablets in his suitcase. He faces the death penalty if convicted in Indonesia.

Malaysia Aviation Group chief executive Nasaruddin A. Bakar said the completed pilot screening was an important step, but added that the work would continue.

The group said screening was also underway at sister airline Firefly. It said Firefly had screened more than half of its 158 pilots and 163 cabin crew, with all results so far negative.

Malaysia Aviation Group has said the detained pilot did not fly the aircraft from Kuala Lumpur that day, but was a cockpit observer who had been off duty for two days before the incident. It said the aircraft was operated safely by two qualified operating pilots.