The government should be more transparent regarding Air Malta and ensure that its decision making process is based on consultation, evidence and expert advice, the Civil Society Network said.

In a statement this morning, it said that despite its restructuring programme, Air Malta was still in a precarious financial situation and the workers' fate was unclear.

The government has agreed in principle to concede control of the management of Air Malta to Alitalia.

Senior government sources had told the Times of Malta that according to a preliminary agreement, Alitalia and Etihad would effectively have the right to appoint all the senior management at Air Malta, including its chief executive officer. They would have full control of the daily business of the national airline.

Air Malta, it said, had a very important strategic function for Malta's economic and social needs and the government should do its utmost to ensure that such a function was not lost, especially when the airline risked becoming overdependent on interests with other conflicting priorities.

The network appealed to the government to seriously consider other options to ensure the survival, viability and strategic interests of the airline.

This could include a hybrid strategy of floating shares on the Malta Stock Exchange, government owned shares and shares sold to another airline which would not have effective control over Air Malta.