Helisureste, the operators of the helicopter service between Malta and Gozo, which was terminated on October 31, are proposing a "wet lease" agreement with the government for operations to be resumed.

A spokesman for the Gozo Ministry told The Sunday Times that Helisureste had been incurring losses in the operation of the service.

Helisureste told the Gozo Ministry that ways and means had to be found to ensure that it would not continue to incur such losses.

A "wet lease" will involve the hire of the helicopters together with the crew members and maintenance for the lessee to operate the service according to its own needs.

The spokesman said that if a "wet lease" agreement is entered into, no subsidy would be involved.

Asked when a decision was to be expected, the spokesman said that all options were still under consideration.

Speaking during the Budget debate in Parliament a few days ago, Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono said Helisureste had made a proposal to the government on how the helicopter service between Malta and Gozo could be resumed.

She said that, although the helicopter was no longer in Malta, the company had told the government that it did not wish to pull out permanently and had left ground handling equipment in Gozo so that the service could be resumed.

Helisureste embarked on operations between Malta and Gozo on March 27, 2005. It operated a round-the-clock schedule on a 13-seater helicopter from Ghajnsielem to the airport. But it was not uncommon for trips to be cancelled at short notice.

Return ticket cost up to Lm50 and this led to a low take-up in spite of the company's target to carry 40,000 passengers per year by the end of this year.

Another proposal currently under consideration by the government is for the development of an airstrip.

The spokesman said that local tourism and business organisations have long pressed for an airstrip in Gozo and the government was also considering this option.

Asked what type of airstrip the government was considering, how big it would be, and if this would entail the loss of agricultural land, the spokesman said the government was currently considering all types of possible air link facilities and therefore all options were being studied.