Tourism operators strive to minimise transport strike problems

Tourists landing in Malta yesterday faced a line-up of uniformed police and idle taxi drivers as officials worked round the clock to minimise the chaos caused by the public transport strike.

Despite the attempts led by Tourism Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco, tourists were still delayed and many complained that they had not been kept informed on alternative transport.

"We've been waiting around for over an hour and we don't know if we'll be here for five minutes or five hours. I'd love to be discovering the capital not standing around. It's a pity we're starting a holiday on a bad note," Luigi Raul, from Spain, complained.

Mike Cahill, from North Lancashire, passed a similar comment and questioned how no contingency plan had been set up if the tour operators knew about the strike since Monday.

"We've been told to just wait in the queue but not informed when or how we'll get to our hotel in Mellieħa. It would be nice to get there today," he said.

Charles Wilson, from Manchester, said all he knew was that the public transport operators were striking but that was it. He was merely told to get into the queue and wait. Julie Parker, also from Manchester, was just slightly luckier because after 90 minutes waiting in the shade of the trees outside the airport, they were informed a mini-van had arrived to whisk them to the Fortina Hotel.

Aware of this confusion, Dr de Marco rolled up his sleeves and mobilised officials from the Malta Tourism Authority and the Malta International Airport to try and get tourists to their hotels.

Chauffeur-driven vans and private cars were lining up next to McDonald's, near the airport, providing an impromptu shuttle service as more than 6,000 tourists flew in yesterday.

Another 3,000 tourists arrived on a cruise liner, only to find that their day excursion had been cancelled due to the operators' action, causing incalculable damage to the industry. Dr de Marco said the government would take all the measures to reduce the inconveniences, adding that the illegal actions ordered by the Transport Federation were tarnishing Malta's image at a time when the country was finally reaping the benefit of its hard work to step up tourism.

Rosette Fenech, MIA head of communications, said no outbound planes had been delayed while visitors and locals leaving the island managed to reach the airport in time.

"We're providing assistance and, where possible, refreshments to arriving tourists and calling hotels to send over their transport," she explained.

Mayhem reigned for the second day running as people were prohibited from burying their dead because the only non-striking hearse operator was too scared to offer his service for fear of retaliation.

Josette Copperstone, who lost her 51-year-old husband Charles in the UK, returned with the coffin yesterday, her mind at rest that the funeral arrangements were finalised and everything was organised for today.

"I reach Malta and I'm told the funeral has to be cancelled. It's a double blow. If I could I would carry the coffin to the cemetery myself. Everyone is distraught," she said.

Other families and relatives are facing a similar fate and the number of dead people in Mater Dei Hospital's mortuary yesterday soared to 24; in two days the mortuary, which can take 54 bodies, is nearly half full.

Carmelo Mifsud, the only non-striking undertaker, said the other hearse owners were not allowing him to do his work and he feared that if he went ahead with funeral arrangements they would attack him: "Who'll compensate me for damages then?"

The Health Department is monitoring the situation, ready to take action if things get out of hand. It is consulting the Public Health Act and the Burial Ordinance Act, which empower authorities to carry out the burials if the need arises.