Neither Air Malta nor the Tourism Ministry have approached the airline pilots’ association (ALPA) to resume discussions on pending issues, sources within the airline industry told The Malta Independent.

The last meeting was held sometime last Friday, this newsroom was told, prior to the industrial action.

Air Malta and the Tourism Ministry have been at loggerheads with ALPA since the latter filed an industrial dispute. The Tourism Ministry is arguing that the issue revolves around an early retirement scheme for pilots which allows them the possibility to retire at the age of 55 with a €700,000 package, and that now the pilots want the government – that is, the taxpayer – to guarantee that the retirement package is met even if the airline collapses.

ALPA however argued that this was not the main issue. ALPA had said that “Air Malta seems intent on distorting indisputable facts, as well as painting a false and unclear picture of the prevalent and current state of affairs. It is now clear that Air Malta’s management team has decided to resort to half truths and measures, as well as to blatant and capricious lies, in order to cover the ineptitude and mismanagement which has become prevalent within the higher tiers of the company,” ALPA said. ALPA had said it has had to resort to industrial action in response to the management's numerous attempts to deploy crew illegally against the stipulated procedures, as well as in response to the company’s persistent failure to address concerns relating to the safety and well-being of its members.

On 1 July the pilots had issued directives to delay flights by 30 minutes, however that same day Air Malta filed for an injunction to stop the action. It was temporarily upheld and the industrial action directive was temporarily withdrawn. That court case will continue Friday.

Speaking with this newsroom, sources within the airline industry said that the main cause of concern for the pilots is the airline’s attempts to deploy crew illegally, failure to address concerns, and that pilots are concerned over the future of the airline. This is why, sources said, the pilots want the guarantee regarding the early retirement scheme.

The sources added that pilots had put aside a number of issues prior to discussions breaking down, including on over 500 off and leave days which pilots were not given last year, which they might be getting paid for instead of being able to take.

Questions sent to Air Malta on Monday have not yet been answered.