MAS hits back at media for false reports and speculation

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has hit back strongly at sections of the media, amid false reports about its flights and further speculation about flight MH370.

US-based site worldnewsdaily.com put out a story recently stating that an MAS flight was forced to make an emergency landing after flying over an active volcano in Iceland, en route between New York and Paris.

In response to the story, MAS – which doesn’t even fly to the US – issued a statement slamming what it called “amateurish reporting” that contained “glaring falsehoods”.

“The airline is deeply troubled that such irresponsible articles and was allowed by the editors of the news portal to be published, and it calls on the public to not to be fooled by such blatant lies,” MAS stated.

“Given recent tragedies, and despite the suffering of all, we believe that such stories only serve one purpose, that is to fuel conjecture, misunderstanding and instil fear amongst the travelling public. Whatever the motive behind the story, it does not represent the ethos of ethical and factual journalism,” it added.

The airline went on to condemn the very “existence of irresponsible news portals” and urged authorities to block the site and hold all those responsible to account.

MAS has also hit out at a new book that claims to reveal the “truth” about flight MH370, which disappeared in March.

“MAS is also aware of news articles that have surfaced surrounding the publishing of a book claiming to offer the ‘scoop’ on MH370 by so-called experts, journalist Geoff Taylor and the disgraced former CEO of the short lived and long defunct Kiwi Travel International Airlines, Ewan Wilson, a convicted New Zealand criminal fraudster,” it said.

“MAS is appalled by their claims that ‘the pilot of MH370 intentionally turned off the oxygen supply in the cabin and activated the auto-pilot feature” which led to the disappearance of MH370.

“There is no evidence to support any of the claims made in the book which is a product of pure conjecture for the purposes of profit by the authors and publishers. It must be noted that the duo are not involved in the investigation of MH370, yet they stray into the fields of science and medicine as self-described ‘experts’ offering an analysis beyond their knowledge and abilities,” it added.

MAS has suffered a stream of bad publicity this year, mainly due to the incidents involving flights MH370 and MH17. But it seems to have grown tired of the endless media coverage and online speculation.

“Those that publish, distribute disseminate and perpetuate misinformation and falsehoods should be aware that the airline will not hesitate to take legal action to protect its position,” MAS warned.