Don’t burden already-fatigued cabin crew with pre-flight checks, says union

The National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) has criticised tourism, arts and culture minister Tiong King Sing for suggesting that cabin crew report earlier for pre-flight checks, arguing it would burden already fatigued workers. Nufam contends cabin crew already undergo gruelling conditions such as early starts, late finishes, long duty periods, irregular schedules, disrupted sleep, and fluctuating rosters.

Adding a two-hour policy for drug screening would increase mental pressure, affect alertness and decision-making, and potentially impede emergency response during flights. The union questions who would bear the cost of the extra hours and emphasizes that safety cannot be achieved by continuously overworking frontliners. Tiong had proposed airlines requiring crew to arrive one and-a-half to two hours early for drug screening, but Nufam president Ismail Nasaruddin Abdul Wahab highlighted that such measures must comply with aviation rules and existing guidelines.

He argued that if airlines genuinely need earlier reporting for safety reasons, they must first address cabin crew fatigue.