Products from General Soft Drinks have been made available on board Air Malta flights for years, according to the airline.

Air Malta has denied any link between the choice of Kristal water for distribution in economy class and its chairwoman’s involvement with the bottler, General Soft Drinks.

A spokesman for the airline said the choice of which bottled water to hand out to passengers was left entirely to the contractor, SkyGourmet.

As of January, Air Malta offers economy class passengers a small sandwich and a bottle of water instead of the in-flight meal that used to be served.

Hot snacks are available to economy passengers at a charge, as is tea, coffee and other snacks like crisps and chocolate bars.

The change came as the airline renegotiated a contract with its food provider as part of a restructuring exercise in a move that will save the airline an estimated €4.5 million a year. The 500ml bottle of Kristal mineral water distributed on Air Malta flights is bottled by General Soft Drinks.

Maria Micallef, who took over the helm at Air Malta last July, is also chief operating officer at General Soft Drinks. She has occupied various posts within the Mizzi Organisation, owners of General Soft Drinks, including general manager.

An airline spokesman said: “The choice of food and drink products on board Air Malta flights does not lie with Air Malta but with the contractor, SkyGourmet, as has always been the case.

The contract specifies a 13.5cm baguette and 500ml of water, not the brand to be sold. Therefore, the supplier is free to sell other brands

“The contractor is responsible and has the prerogative to choose products – be they food or drink. The contract specifies a 13.5cm baguette and 500ml of water, not the brand to be sold. Therefore, the supplier is free to sell other brands.”

The spokesman also said that products from General Soft Drinks had been made available on board Air Malta flights for years, well before Ms Micallef was appointed to the airline’s board of directors.

Air Malta’s decision to stop serving free hot snacks to economy passengers has led to layoffs by the catering company which supplies in-flight meals. It said it was forced to downsize its workforce from 145 to 100.

The airline has managed to halve its losses to €16 million in the financial year ended March 2014 and is projecting similar losses for this financial year.

This casts doubt on the carrier’s restructuring plan, agreed with Brussels, through which it must return to the black by not later than next year.