Air Malta has asked the Industrial Tribunal to urgently hear a case against the Airline Pilots Association Malta, which has issued directives the carrier says are delaying flights by 30 minutes.

The dispute was sparked off by the introduction of a new rostering software for pilots. Several meetings between the carrier and the airline pilots union failed to resolve the dispute.

The airline has again called on Alpa to stop its actions and embrace change in the interest of the airline, its customers, tourism stakeholders and all the other Air Malta employees. Air Malta told the Industrial Tribunal that the union's actions were disproportionately severe and were negatively affecting its operations while causing unnecessary substantial costs.

The airline has also filed a judicial protest holding the pilots' union responsible for damages.

Air Malta is insisting the introduction of the new software has not impacted in any way the airline pilots' conditions of employment because the rules governing rosters have not been affected.