Arriva said today that various offers it had made to the GWU in an effort to resolve pending issues has so far been rejected by the union.

Reacting to a union statement, in which the union said it had ordered drivers not to operate a service to the airshow tomorrow - Arriva said that it yesterday offered a more comprehensive package including an immediate pay rise and  payment for additional hours.

"We are extremely disappointed that the GWU is taking this approach, which if its threats are carried out, will ultimately hurt the general public who were intending to travel by public transport to enjoy the airshow tomorrow," the bus company said.

It urged the union to suspend its industrial action and consult its members about the offers that had been made, so that talks could be concluded.

In its statement, the GWU said it had directed bus drivers not to operate a service to the Malta Airshow tomorrow in protest over pending issues with Arriva.

The union insisted that a number of issues needed to be settled, such as the payment of overtime and the split shift issue.

The union warned Arriva said that should it attempt to use British drivers on a service to the airshow it would ask the British transport union Unite to order these drivers back to the UK.