A year after the popular Malta Air Show was called off, talks between the government and the organisers on a sponsorship deal appear to be stalled.
The Malta Aviation Society is seeking a three-year agreement to enable it to plan well in advance, but the Tourism Ministry and the Malta Tourism Authority have so far only offered a one-year deal.
The air show is usually held in late September. The first edition was held in 1993 and last year's marked its 25th anniversary.
Alas, that may well have been the last one to be held by the Malta Aviation Society in its current format.
Malta Aviation Society president Joe Ciliberti.“Air show preparations start in September of the previous year, so, technically, we are already almost out of time for the 2019 edition,” MAS president Joe Ciliberti said.
The impasse between the government and the organisers goes back to 2015 when the society was informed by then tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis that he would like the aerial display to move to a seaside location.
The society had feared that moving to a free seaside event, separating the event from the static display at the airport, would not be financially sustainable, but Dr Zammit Lewis had said that the ministry would pay “whatever it takes” to ensure the continuation of the air show.
The 2016 air show was held off SmartCity as requested by the government and the association was duly paid.
But things changed after the tourism minister was replaced.
“Rather than collaboration, we found outright hostility and an unending list of demands from the ministry for it to support the event,” Mr Ciliberti said.
“Eventually, just three weeks before the 2017 show we received written confirmation that money would be made available to cover the 25th edition.”
He said his association had requested a three-year agreement to be able to plan better.
The request was made during last year’s air show but no reply was received, forcing the cancellation of this year's event.
Mr Ciliberti said talks were eventually held “to salvage something for this year.” A small aerial event in June, dubbed Airfest, was suggested by the government and the MAS agreed.
“However, out of the blue, we then received an e-mail telling us that we first had to hold the June event to be ‘evaluated’ and then the ministry may consider signing a three-year MoU. This was obviously not acceptable to the MAS and everything went dead since then,” he said.
Rather than collaboration, we found outright hostility and an unending list of demands
“As an NGO that has organised such an international event for over a quarter century, on a voluntary basis, the MAS cannot understand the government's request other than suspecting that it stems from someone who does not understand what holding an airshow involves," Mr Ciliberti said.
“If the 2019 edition of the Malta International Air Show cannot be held, the country may well lose its seat on the board of directors of the European Airshow Council, which held its last two yearly conferences in Malta,” he pointed out.
A spokesman for the Tourism Ministry said the ministry was always open to the air show organisers.
He said that meetings had been held with both ministry and Malta Tourism Authority officials about a way how the event could be held this year.
“The ministry had guaranteed the necessary funding to run an air show in September along with particular logistical support.
“As per normal procedure for most events held in Malta and sponsored by the Malta Tourism Authority, the government proposed a one-year contract extendable to a further three years based on the success of the event. This approach was not accepted by the organisers,” the spokesman said.
Disappointed aviation enthusiasts can at least now look forward to the Como to Malta Seaplanes Rally – Roberts Cup 2018, between Thursday and Sunday, with participating aircraft expected to fly into the Grand Harbour on Saturday, weather permitting.