A pilot won €18,000 in compensation after an industrial tribunal ruled he had been discriminated against.

Neil John Pavia complained that Mediterranean Aviation Co. Ltd (Medavia) was not paying him the same rate as other pilots, meaning that the company was not giving equal pay for work of equal value.

According to Mr Pavia, the company was discriminating against Maltese pilots because it was paying certain foreign pilots more than what he got.

Mr Pavia said his work roster was 20 days on and 10 days off whereas other pilots worked 28 days and had 28 days off.

Medavia argued that the distinction in the pay reflected pilots' flying hours and experience and that, therefore, such distinction was justified.

It also weighed in the fact that certain pilots were licensed to fly more than one aircraft unlike Mr Pavia, who was licensed to pilot the Casa 212, which took a captain and a first officer.

The tribunal, presided over by Leslie Cuschieri, concluded that Mr Pavia should be considered as all other first officers who had the same flying hours as he did.

The tribunal found that another pilot who had logged fewer flying hours than Mr Pavia earned €900 more every month. On this basis, the tribunal concluded that Mr Pavia was to receive €18,000 because he had been in employment with the company for one year and 10 months.

The company will be appealing the ruling.