Air Malta’s new acting CEO Joe Galea today insisted that no airline can survive alone in today’s industry.

Mr Galea was appointed as Air Malta acting CEO this week after the two-year term of former CEO Philip Micallef came to an end.

Joe Galea was made acting CEO of Air Malta this week.

Speaking during a business breakfast, Mr Galea said the transition from being a standalone airline to one partly-owned by a much larger group would give Air Malta a much stronger chance of growth.

He reminded that Air Malta accounted for 40 per cent of tourist arrivals by air and
was an important element for the local economy in general.

He warned that Air Malta cannot operate in a vacuum as competition from low-cost carriers was inevitable.

MHRA president Tony Zahra said he was firmly against a strategic asset like Air Malta being taken over by “another country”.

Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said Air Malta could never be a low-cost carrier like Ryanair, and could never be an Etihad.

Dr Zammit Lewis said its objectives could only be reached by entering into a strategic partnership with a bigger airline, thereby reducing costs through economies of scale.

He said the deal with Alitalia for a 49 per cent buyout would only go through if the government is satisfied that Air Malta’s objectives would be reached.

He announced that talks are ongoing for three new airlines to start operating to Malta, as well as the expansion of routes by existing airlines.