Updated: Air Malta pilots to hold national protest
MIA denies responsibility for Air Malta's situation
(Adds MIA's statement)
The Airline Pilots' Association expressed surprise this evening at Air Malta's decision to reduce the pilot workforce by a third.
It said it intended to ALPA hold a national protest on July 15 during which it would ask members to suspend their service as of July 16 unless Air Malta and its share holders reconsidered the decisions taken behind everybody's back.
In a statement, ALPA said that its executive committee cooperated fully with the steering committee in offering several solutions to turnaround the company in least time possible.
It identified areas that needed to be addressed immediately to reorganise the state of affairs but the management and share holders were adamant to reduce staff.
ALPA said it insisted it was not in the interest of the company to make pilots redundant considering all the money invested in their training.
The union offered solutions, such as leasing excess pilots to other airlines that needed them and it participated fully this summer in redeployment of crew with other airlines.
"ALPA is amazed how questions regarding cargo anomalies, MIA expenses, management issues and the fact that the government keeps pumping money into low cost airlines remain unanswered.
"Does the government still subsidise low cost carriers despite European Union New Route Grant Agreements having expired?
"Is it correct that the government has given exclusivity to Malta International Airport considering no special rates are offered to its main operator?
"Is it correct that whilst KM employs new management at substantial cost most of the old management who ran the failed company restructuring which took place in 2004 are still there," it asked.
ALPA said that it shall be convening its members to take critical decisions on July 5.
It said it informed its strategic international partners European Cockpit Association and IFALPA of its intentions and they will be informing the European Commission respectively.
MIA STATEMENT
In another statement, MIA said that while being sensitive to the current situation being faced by Air Malta and its employees, it categorically denied the claims regarding its alleged responsibility for the situation.
“Malta International Airport plc is conscious of the importance of Air Malta for the tourism industry and the economy and we look forward to continue our constructive discussions with the airline's management,” it said.