Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said today that he appreciated that the Air Malta pilots' union, had presented its arguments about the airline in their meeting on Thursday, as had the government.

The two sides agreed they were actually on the same side and wanted the best for Air Malta. However they had to do so while observing international rules.

Speaking at a radio interview, Dr Gonzi said it was well known that several airlines had failed over the past few years. The government had continued to support Air Malta over the past three years in the best way it could.

However, with regard to low cost airlines, the government could not close the door for competition. Nor could the Maltese people be denied the opportunity to use such airlines. 

Air Malta would be saved through restructuring which would include reducing the workforce. The new Air Malta board had been told to take only decisions which made commercial sense and they should not be influenced by political pressures, from any direction. When such commercial decisions hurt the workers, the government would step in to help the workers as much as possible.

The government could not offer alternative jobs but it was offering early retirement schemes. Such schemes had also been offered to dockyard workers and most of them had now found alternative jobs.

The government was working in the national interest while being sensitive to the needs of the workers, Dr Gonzi said. The airline was vital to the country and everybody's cooperation was needed for the airline not to fold.

He recognised that the pilots' union wanted the best for the airline too and he augured that the governemnt and the unions would continue to work together to give the airline a sustainable future.

(Earlier today, Joseph Muscat complained that the Air Malta restructuring committee is no longer meeting. See http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110717/local/government-should-have-apologised-for-bus-service-mess-muscat.375993 )