Medavia is to seek a possible collaboration with Air Malta to operate routes on the Maltese national airline’s behalf.

This possible collaboration between Medavia and Air Malta had already been explored close to nine years ago without any success.

This attempt is part of a restructuring plan by CEO Ramah Ettir aimed at moving away from the focus Medavia has always had on Libya, instead expanding its reach to the whole of the Mediterranean basin.

Mediterranean Aviation (Medavia) was set up in 1978 as a joint venture between the Maltese and Libyan governments. Its prime focus at the time was supporting the Libyan oil industry, which had oilfields in remote areas of the Sahara desert.

With a diverse fleet of aircraft, the company is not as competitive as CEO Ramah Ettir would like it to be

The company employs 260 people, 60 of whom are stationed at Tripoli International Airport in a secure enclave, although the building and hangar there have been almost completely ransacked. The company has kept these 60 people on its payroll, even though there is currently no work for them.

With a diverse fleet of aircraft, the company is not as competitive as Mr Ettir would like it to be. As a result, Medavia is embarking on a fleet renewal programme, and is talking to various suppliers, including Bombardier, Franco-Italian turboprop manufacturer ATR and regional jet manufacturers such as Italo-Russian consortium Superjet International and Brazilian manufacturer Embraer.

Medavia is also seeking to get a Libyan Aircraft Operating Certificate (AOC), something Mr Ettir believes will be accomplished by the end of this year. He acknowledged that getting traffic rights in Libya will be more difficult than ever before. In Libya there are 28 AOCs, although not all are active.

For the past three years, Medavia has always closed its books in the red, something that had never happened in its 36-year history. Mr Ettir is confident that the company should break-even this year and begin registering a small profit as from the coming financial year.

Chris Cauchi is a freelance aviation correspondent.