The Union of Cabin Crew this morning accused Air Malta of delaying referral of on ongoing dispute on working hours to arbitration.

The union was reacting to an airline statement earlier this week which claimed that cabin crew inflexibility had caused a delay of several hours for a flight from Sofia.

"The Union of Cabin Crew would like to state that at the moment its members are operating scheduled flights notwithstanding a dispute the Union has with Air Malta regarding flight time limitations. Although the Union of Cabin Crew is requesting that such matter be referred to arbitration in line with the provisions of the currently applicable collective agreement, Air Malta is dragging its feet to agree to simple terms of reference,” the union said.

With regard to the flight from Sofia, the union said that for the good and the safety of passengers and the crew it had directed its members to take the safest possible route, thereby including all duty in the flight time limitations issued by the new EU regulations, allowing a further two hour extension thus going to the limit permissible by law.

“That extension was agreed to by the crew notwithstanding the fact that the flight covered the whole night period.”

Whilst regretting any inconvenience to passengers, the union said this dispute had been pending for months. Air Malta, it claimed, was indifferent and it was only the union which had to resolve this dispute by referring it to arbitration.