The new minister responsible for Air Malta, Clyde Caruana, has signalled that changes could be afoot at the national airline during a meeting with the pilots’ association earlier this week, The Malta Independent on Sunday has learnt.
Caruana was sworn in as Finance Minister on Monday. Air Malta was transferred from Silvio Schembri’s economy ministry to the finance portfolio in last week’s government reshuffle. The economy minister seems to have retained Malta Med Air under his wing for now, but sources said that “nothing is cast in stone” and things could change.
The Air Malta move has been welcomed by the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA), which had an uneasy relationship with Schembri. The Economy Minister had put his foot down earlier this year when the airline dismissed 69 pilots as air operations were halted by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. And ALPA had heavily clashed with Air Malta’s former CEO, Clifford Chetcuti, saying his behaviour was “unethical and immoral.”
Sources said Minister Caruana met with the pilots association on Wednesday. During a meeting described as “cordial,” Caruana reportedly gave strong indications that a number of changes will be made at the airline.
While not many details about the meeting are available, it is understood that the government is mulling changes at the airline’s management level, which are deemed crucial for the airline to survive.
The Malta Independent on Sunday is also informed that Caruana met with the Air Malta management on Thursday.
The government would not comment when asked about the meeting. ALPA president Dominic Azzopardi also declined to confirm that a meeting had taken place but said the change in minister was a positive step.
ALPA’s relationship with Air Malta has never been a rosy one, but that relationship sank to new lows earlier this year when 69 pilots were dismissed. The pilots were sacked following a breakdown in talks between the two sides. Air Malta had said the union had insisted on a €73 million early retirement pay-out. Meanwhile, ALPA had accused the airline of using the pandemic as a pretext to do away with the current conditions of employment.
The government recently applied for state aid for the airline. The airline has failed to publish its accounts for 2019, missing the usual April publication date. Malta Today reported last week that the airline has racked up some €30 million in operational losses.
Captain Clifford Chetcuti resigned in August, amid the dispute with ALPA, although he said he was stepping down for personal reasons. The airline issued a call for a new CEO the following month. Some 200 individuals had applied by the end of October, but the airline has not appointed anyone to the role so far. Former Labour minister Charles Mangion is Chairman of the airline.
Sources from within the pilot community said it is imperative that the airline not only reinstates the 69 sacked pilots but also provides refresher training to its current pilot complement. “When things start picking up again – and this will hopefully happen soon, with the arrival of the Covid-19 vaccine – the airline needs to be in a position to hit the ground running,” one source said.