Labour MEP Miriam Dalli called for less bureaucracy and more support to the Business Aviation sector in order to enable it to grow and contribute further to the Maltese economy. Dr Dalli was visiting a new hangar in the Malta International Airport, in which she also met representatives of 15 different companies which operate in this sector. 

“Business Aviation can be considered as a new economic niche which is gradually growing. Indeed, this sector directly employs around 3,000 persons and attracts numerous high-end clients to our shores. Hence we need to ensure there is no excessive red-tape which is hindering the growth of this sector,” Dr Dalli said. 

The President of the Malta Business Aviation Association (MBAA) Stanley Bugeja thanked Miriam Dalli for her visit so that she familiarises herself with the challenges and opportunities which this sector offers.

“Nowadays, Malta ranks third in Europe for the number of business aviation flights per capita with more than 60% of aviation jobs on the island are from the business aviation sector,” Bugeja said.

During a meeting with various representatives from this sector, the Labour MEP underlined the importance that the sector also improves its environmental credentials in order to reach the targets set for a reduction in emissions. They also discussed the recent ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) agreement which introduces a number of global market-based environmental measures for the aviation sector.

This was one of the meetings which Miriam Dally held with several stakeholders interested in European environmental legislation and issues discussed in the Environmental Committee of the European Parliament, of which Miriam Dalli was appointed S&D Coordinator last month.