A regrading exercise undertaken at Air Malta, including the payment of arrears, was carried out to do justice to a number of employees who had already been doing work and shouldering responsibilities above their substantive grades.

Answering a parliamentary question by Robert Arrigo (PN), Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said the exercise constituted the execution of negotiations between the management and the General Workers’ Union.

The arrears paid to the regraded workers had been foreseen and budgeted in the Restructuring Plan.

The minister said the outcome of the exercise had given the national carrier greater flexibility and efficiency.

The regrading was “totally distinct” from claims of injustices made by former Air Malta employees. The latter were being individually examined by an independent Grievance Unit, whose recommendations would serve as the basis for any decisions on compensation.

Meanwhile, Dr Zammit Lewis confirmed that Air Malta would have a new Chief Financial Officer from the first quarter of this year. The minister called the new official “an expert in aviation” who had been selected after an interviewing process which had got under way when the position had become vacant.