- By Ajeet Kumar
- Mon, 17 Aug 2026 03:00 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Malaysia Airlines pilots tested negative in initial drug screenings.
- Cabin crew drug testing by MAG starts August 18.
- Initiative follows pilot's arrest for drug trafficking.
Kaula Lumpur: After an Air India flight survived an extreme turbulence in the skies, Malaysian Airlines has now started testing its pilots for the drug tests. According to a report by the news agency Reuters, all pilots working for flag carrier Malaysia Airlines tested negative for drugs after a mandatory screening process. Although, the order was not related to Air India fiasco, the airline has launched a massive test following a pilot was arrested in Indonesia on trafficking charges. On Monday, owner Malaysia Aviation Group said that its cabin crew will be tested next.
A Malaysia Airlines pilot was detained on July 28 after authorities found 26 kilograms of the mind-altering drug MDMA in his luggage upon his arrival in Jakarta from Kuala Lumpur. Urine tests also showed the Malaysian Airlines pilot had been under the influence of cocaine and methamphetamines, the customs office said.
Screening results for all its pilot turned negative: Malaysian Airlines
MAG said in a statement that as the screening results for all its pilots returned negative, it will proceed to the next phase of the programme, which will screen about 2,840 Malaysia Airlines cabin crew starting from August 18 and expected to end by September 3.
MAG operates Malaysia Airlines, as well as short-haul carrier Firefly, and Haj pilgrimage airline Amal. "The completion of this first phase is an important milestone in the measures we committed to implementing, but work does not stop here," MAG's president and group chief executive officer Captain Nasaruddin A. Bakar said.
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"We are moving ahead with screening across other operational groups to ensure the same rigorous standards are applied consistently across our airlines. Safety remains at the core of every decision we make, and we will continue taking the necessary steps to strengthen our safeguards, uphold operational standards and maintain the confidence of our passengers and stakeholders," he said.
MAG also said that more than half of Firefly's 158 pilots and 163 cabin crew have been screened, with all results returning negative to date. It added that Firefly is also on track to complete screening for all its remaining pilots and cabin crew by August 25.
Two Air India pilots failed drug test
Earlier today, two pilots of the Air India Group have failed the initial drug test as their results came "non-negative" and their samples have been sent for confirmatory tests, news agency PTI reported, citing a source. On August 13, Air India and Air India Express started mandatory psychoactive substance testing of all their pilots, expanding checks beyond regulatory requirements.
These tests were made mandatory following the August 4 incident, when the captain of an Air India Phuket-Delhi flight, that suddenly lost altitude, tested positive for marijuana. The PTI source on Monday said psychoactive substance tests have been completed for around 400 pilots of the Air India Group so far.
Of them, the initial screening test results have come "non-negative" for two pilots, the source said. Specific details could not be immediately ascertained. There was no official comment from Air India. The two Tata Group-owned airlines have more than 5,000 pilots.
The comprehensive screening covers substances and medications prohibited under prevailing aviation regulations.
Air India turbulence fiasco
On August 4 Air India flight AI2379, an Airbus A320neo flying from Phuket to Delhi, suddenly lost about 300 feet (91 metres) in altitude during cruise amid turbulence. The aircraft was carrying 145 people, including 137 passengers and eight crew members. At least 24 people were injured in the incident.
ALSO READ: Air India Phuket-Delhi Flight Plummeted 425 Feet In 30 Seconds; Investigation Reveals Major Findings
The flight's pilot-in-command tested positive for marijuana in a confirmatory drug test. The pilot had initially tested "non-negative" for a psychoactive substance, with the confirmatory test subsequently identifying marijuana, PTI sources had said.
(With inputs from agencies)