The reasons behind a delay on an Air Malta flight from Milan two years ago are still being investigated, Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said in Parliament today.

Replying to a PQ by PN MP Antoine Borg, Dr Zammit Lewis said the Tourism Ministry does not yet have all the necessary facts in hand.

The case dates back to 27 July, 2012, and concerns a Milan-Malta flight which was delayed by around 30 minutes. Captain Dominic Azzopardi, the president of the Airline Pilots’ Association (ALPA), was alleged to have given instructions for check-in to be reopened and for the passengers’ boarding bridge to be reattached to the aircraft to allow him and his family to come aboard.

In comments made shortly after the alleged incident was reported, Mr Azzopardi denied the allegations and insisted that the airline was trying to get back at him and the union he heads for giving notice of an industrial dispute.

But following its own investigations, the airline declared that it had categorical evidence, including third-party electronic data, to back the claim that the pilot was responsible for the delayed flight.

 

Air Malta subsequently agreed with ALPA that the case would be investigated by two members of the legal profession – one appointed by the airline and the other by the trade union.