The Democratic Party asked today how Air Malta's losses got deeper in the past few years when it was close to break even four years ago.

"At a time where we have seen an explosion in incoming tourists and business travellers due to the unfavourable situation in our neighbouring and rival countries for this business, it would be expected that our national airline would be thinking big not small. In the global business environment, and in the aviation industry, those who have thrived were those who expanded. We question how, when at the beginning of the adminstration Air Malta was close to breaking even, in this boom period it finds itself in a deeper financial hole," the party said in a statement.

The party urged the government and Air Malta to 'think outside the box', rope in local and foreign partners who have Air Malta's survival at heart and devise a plan that sees the national airline grow and thrive, not wither and die.