Air Malta is contemplating a further reduction of its fleet by up to four planes in winter. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

Hoteliers have warned against any plans by Air Malta to reduce its fleet further.

“We are completely against any further reduction in Air Malta’s fleet. From a commercial point of view, a reduction in the fleet doesn’t make sense,” Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association president Tony Zahra told Times of Malta.

“How can you keep the same management and employee structure with fewer aircraft?”

With less capacity on the market, the decision will hurt Malta’s tourism and other economic activity, Mr Zahra insisted.

“If they do this, it will be a step nearer towards closing down the airline.”

Air Malta is currently in its last year of its five-year restructuring plan and is obliged to register a profit by next year. Should it fail, the airline may either fold down or be forced to privatise.

The MHRA president’s opinion was shared by hotelier Michael Zammit Tabona who said that should rumours of Air Malta planning to shed two planes be confirmed it would be “suicidal”.

“An airline is there to fly and not to keep its planes on the ground,” said Mr Zammit Tabona, the owner of Fortina Group. “Planes should fly as much as possible. The more time they stay on the ground the less revenue for the airline. I cannot understand why we are thinking of reducing aircraft instead of flying more on profitable routes,” he said.

Mr Zammit Tabona said it would make more sense for the national airline to stop operating “silly routes” which are not profitable and should have never been considered.

An airline is there to fly and not to keep its planes on the ground. The more time they stay on the ground the less revenue for the airline

Reducing the fleet will get you nowhere unless staff members are also shed, he said.

Last week, Times of Malta revealed that during a meeting with employees, top Air Malta officials said the company is contemplating a further reduction of its fleet by up to four planes in winter. Currently the airline operates a network of 10 planes.

Asked to confirm a reduction of its fleet, both the government – as the shareholder – and the airline declined to rule anything out.

A spokesman for Air Malta said: “Air Malta’s management is currently analysing its network to see whether the airline can fly more efficiently while retaining the same capacity. Ultimately, the main objective of the management is to lease the number of planes it needs to meet the airlines’ demand.”

Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said the airline’s objective is to have the number of aircraft that is required to service its network in an efficient and sustainable way.

The Sunday Times of Malta recently revealed that the airline is currently in discussions with Turkish Airlines on possible privatisation. However, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the government still intends to keep a majority shareholding in the national airline.

Assistance scheme

Deaf people or those with reduced mobility can now fly Air Malta accompanied by their assistance dog, after a policy update carried out by the airline which only permitted guide dogs before.

Now, three types of assistance dogs will be accepted on board: guide dogs to assist the blind and visually impaired, hearing dogs for deaf or hearing impaired people and service dogs that assist disabled people or those with reduced mobility other than visual or hearing impairment.

Moreover, while the airline used to allow one such dog aboard, two will now be allowed on every flight.

Air Malta yesterday said the change followed discussions with the chairman of the Malta Guide Dogs Foundation, Leone Sciberras.

The discussions had started years earlier with the former chairman, the late Ron Colombo.

Mr Sciberras said that, when Air Malta first allowed guide dogs to travel in the cabin back in 2008, there were very few such dogs in Malta but the figure had now gone up to 13 and was set to rise again in the coming years.

“We thank Air Malta for this step forward and I have no doubt that the policy can be reviewed to keep up with the times,” he said.

Air Malta’s passenger handling executive Fabian Mizzi said the airline felt the need to update its policy because it was confident that, as long as the dog met the full membership criteria of the Inter­national Guide Dog Federation or Assistance Dog International and it was well trained, it did not pose a risk to other passengers.

More information can be found on www.airmalta.com about procedures that have to be followed, including informing Air Malta’s Call Centre at least 48 hours before the flight’s time of departure (in the case of travel to the UK this is seven days).