An extraordinary number of pilots reporting sick have forced Air Malta to cancel two flights and to seriously delay a number of others so far today.
Air Malta has cancelled its scheduled flights to and from Benghazi and Milan. It had previously announced the cancellation of a flight to Newcastle, but this flight has been reinstated, albeit with delays.
Flights to and from Tel Aviv, Paris-Orly, Cardiff, Budapest, Frankfurt, Vienna and Catania have also been seriously delayed.
In a statement, Air Malta said that so far, over 2,000 passengers have been affected, and that further delays were likely and additional cancellations were possible.
It has pledged to do its utmost to provide transportation to passengers on alternative flights or on other airlines.
Passengers affected are advised to monitor the situation by checking the airline’s website airmalta.com, which is being updated regularly.
Some twenty pilots have reported sick since yesterday evening, a figure that is nine times the normal average and which accounts to 40% of the available pilot complement.
Air Malta said that it was concerned that more pilots may call in sick, which could affect the remainder of the airline’s 30 scheduled flights today.
The chart below outlines the operational situation to date:
Flight Number
Destination
Date
Status
Estimated time of departure from MIA
Estimated time of departure from overseas
Estimated time of arrival
KM 7828/9
Tel Aviv
16 Sep
delayed
7:15am (departed Malta)
10:10am (departed)
1:15pm (landed)
KM698/9
Benghazi
17 Sep
cancelled
n/a
n/a
n/a
KM466/7
Paris (Orly)
17 Sep
delayed
10am (departed Malta)
1:50pm (departed)
4:15pm (landed)
KM628/9
Milan (Malpensa)
17 Sep
cancelled
n/a
n/a
n/a
KM4206
Cardiff
17 Sep
delayed
10am (departed Malta)
2:25pm (departed)
5:40pm
KM4243/4
Newcastle
17 Sep
delayed
4pm
8:45pm
11:45pm
KM520/1
Budapest
17 Sep
delayed
1pm (departed Malta)
5pm
7:15pm
KM328/9
Frankfurt
17 Sep
delayed
5pm
8:35pm
11:10pm
KM514/5
Vienna
17 Sep
delayed
6:20pm
9:35pm
11:50pm
KM4264
Norwich
17 Sep
delayed
6:30pm
10:30pm
1:50am (18 Sep)
KM642/3
Catania
17 Sep
delayed
11:30pm
0:55am (18 Sep)
1:40am (18 Sep)
Air Malta will monitor the situation and update its passengers scheduled to depart on affected flights through its website
www.airmalta.com , Facebook and twitter accounts